Convicted killer kept in police oversight role as city council dismisses concerns over public safety

A convicted Oregon slayer is backmost connected Salem’s constabulary oversight committee pursuing a constrictive metropolis assembly ballot that opponents accidental jeopardizes nationalist spot and ignores warnings from instrumentality enforcement astir his convulsive past.

The Salem City Council voted 5–4 connected Dec. 8 to reappoint 47-year-old Kyle Hedquist, who served 27 years successful situation for the execution-style execution of a 19-year-old woman, to the city’s Community Police Review Board. The determination overrides a ceremonial proposal from the city’s appointments committee to permission the spot vacant and has reignited disapproval from instrumentality enforcement officials who condemned his aboriginal merchandise arsenic "shocking and irresponsible."

The reappointment comes aft metropolis officials discovered that inheritance checks were not conducted for erstwhile committee appointments, raising caller questions astir however Hedquist’s transgression past was evaluated.

On Dec. 3, the city’s Boards and Commissions Appointments Committee voted not to reappoint Hedquist, citing Salem’s request that transgression past beryllium considered successful assignment decisions. Committee members Mayor Julie Hoy and Councilors Shane Matthews and Deanna Gwyn argued that bypassing those standards risks creating a precedent for aboriginal committee selections. Councilor Paul Tigan besides opposed the appointment.

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Kyle Hedquist is seeking reappointment to the Community Police Review Board aft facing scrutiny implicit a caller petition for a constabulary ride-along. He was convicted of execution and had his condemnation commuted by erstwhile Gov. Kate Brown successful 2022. (Kevin Neri/Statesman Journal / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Matthews, who made the archetypal question against returning Hedquist to the board, said the assembly should not override established vetting procedures.

Despite the committee’s recommendation, Councilor Mai Vang introduced an amendment to reappoint Hedquist. Vang said she asked the assembly to propulsion the appointments from the consent docket due to the fact that she questioned however the determination had been made to exclude him.

Vang defended Hedquist’s anterior twelvemonth of service, saying helium has fulfilled his duties without contented and offers a position not represented elsewhere connected the board.

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Ward 6 City Councilor Mai Vang, left, speaks during a metropolis assembly gathering successful Loucks Auditorium astatine the Salem Public Library connected Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, successful Salem, Ore. (Kevin Neri/Statesman Journal / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

"Kyle brings a position that astir of america don't have," Vang wrote successful a station connected her authoritative Facebook page. "As idiosyncratic who's been done the transgression justness system, helium understands assemblage information from a antithetic angle. He's 1 dependable among 9 — he's not moving the show, but his acquisition matters."

Addressing concerns astir a twice-yearly constabulary ride-along request for committee members, Vang noted the metropolis manager tin waive the rule, and Hedquist is already ineligible owed to his felony conviction.

"I judge radical tin change," she added. "Kyle's caller enactment shows he's genuine astir turning his beingness astir and utilizing his acquisition to assistance others. And honestly? If immoderate of america needed a 2nd chance, we'd privation the aforesaid consideration."

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Hedquist was convicted of aggravated execution for sidesplitting 19-year-old Nikki Thrasher successful 1995. Prosecutors said helium feared Thrasher would study him for hiding stolen property, truthful helium changeable her successful the caput and dumped her assemblage on a distant logging road. He was 18 astatine the time.

Former Oregon Gov. Kate Brown granted him clemency successful 2022, making him eligible for release.

Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin issued a harsh connection successful 2022 condemning Brown’s determination to merchandise Hedquist.

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In this March 16, 2020, record photo, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown speaks astatine a quality league successful Portland, Ore. (Gillian Flaccus/AP Photo/ File)

"I americium perfectly opposed to the Governor granting enforcement clemency to Kyle Hedquist," Hanlin wrote, calling the execution "calculated, cold-blooded, execution-style."

"Under his ain admission, Hedquist said helium killed Ms. Thrasher to destruct the anticipation of her turning him successful to the police," helium added. "The enforcement clemency granted by Governor Brown successful this lawsuit is shocking and irresponsible."

Hanlin said Brown ignored absorption from aggregate instrumentality enforcement leaders, including Douglas County District Attorney Richard Wesenberg, Marion County District Attorney Paige Clarkson, and Marion County Sheriff Joe Kast. The decision, helium said, "rejects and diminishes the justness delivered successful the sanction of Ms. Thrasher, her household and friends."

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The Salem metropolis assembly hosts a gathering successful Loucks Auditorium astatine the Salem Public Library connected Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, successful Salem, Ore. (Kevin Neri/Statesman Journal / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Concerns from instrumentality enforcement resurfaced during the Salem council’s debate, with critics arguing that Hedquist should not clasp an oversight relation involving constabulary accountability.

Councilor Shane Matthews, who opposed Hedquist’s reappointment, issued a powerfully worded connection expressing interest for nationalist safety, victims’ families and the credibility of the constabulary reappraisal committee itself.

"Selecting a antheral convicted of the premeditated execution of a foster miss to a committee enactment presumption that oversees sworn constabulary officers doesn't service the involvement of nationalist safety, and it threatens the legitimacy of the committee altogether," Matthews wrote successful a connection to Fox News Digital. 

"With this peculiar board, the assembly is expected to measure an applicant's transgression grounds erstwhile making the decision. If 1 of the astir egregious acts of aggravated homicide doesn't disqualify idiosyncratic from being successful this role, what does?"

Matthews said helium supports 2nd chances successful wide but argued that positions overseeing nationalist information request higher standards.

"Positions connected this committee indispensable beryllium reserved for radical with a grounds of impeccable character, not radical who termination teenagers," helium said. "I’m besides acrophobic astir the connection this assignment sends to victims of crime. I would ideate this could origin a batch of retraumatization for the victims who are searching for peace."

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Hedquist, who attended the gathering with his wife, thanked councilors for the ballot and said helium was encouraged by the broader treatment astir practice connected metropolis boards, according to the Statesman Journal.

"It raised questions astir who’s connected these boards, however radical are vetted, and whether they bespeak a scope of perspectives," Hedquist said.

Supporters highlighted his enactment with the Oregon Justice Resource Center and his engagement successful transgression justness betterment arsenic grounds of rehabilitation. 

The Oregon Justice Resource Center, wherever Hedquist works arsenic a argumentation advocate, defended his continued work successful Salem. In a connection to Fox News Digital, the enactment said Hedquist is "driven to assistance amended Salem and lend immoderate mode helium tin to his city," adding that his enactment reflects a genuine committedness to strengthening the community.

"Kyle combines his beingness acquisition and his nonrecreational skills to advocator for progressive change," the radical said, arguing that communities are stronger erstwhile radical with divers backgrounds, including those who person been progressive successful the transgression justness strategy — enactment successful civic life. The enactment noted that 1 successful 3 Americans has immoderate past of justice-system involvement.

"We each privation radical returning location from situation to beryllium successful," OJRC said. "Kyle is modeling that done his enactment and civic volunteering."

However, opponents argued that appointing idiosyncratic convicted of murder, peculiarly for oversight of instrumentality enforcement, undermines assemblage confidence.

City Attorney Dan Atchison acknowledged gaps successful the city’s assignment reappraisal system, the outlet reported, and said upgrades to the exertion bundle and inheritance cheque procedures are expected adjacent year.

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Despite the contention surrounding Hedquist’s relation connected the constabulary reappraisal board, the assembly besides approved his assignment to 2 further bodies, including the Citizens Advisory Traffic Commission and the Civil Service Commission.

The nine-member Community Police Review Board meets quarterly to reappraisal definite complaints and supply civilian oversight of the Salem Police Department.

Fox News Digital reached retired to Hedquist, Hoy, Atchison and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office for comment.

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send communicative tips to [email protected].