Oregon man reportedly died saving wife from attacker with knife
08/31/2021 1:23 pm PDT
MARION COUNTY, Ore. (TCD) -- A 26-year-old man died earlier this month after reportedly saving his wife from an attacker who stabbed them both several times with a knife.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office announced in a statement that on August 13 at 3 a.m., deputies went to a residence on Hazelgreen Road NE and Howell Prairie Road NE regarding a stabbing. One victim, later identified as Travis Juetten, was declared dead at the scene. His wife Jamilyn Rebekah Juetten was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries.
The Sheriff’s Office said in an August 27 statement that Jamilyn is in stable condition and is still recovering at the hospital, noting that the stabbing occurred when Travis "confronted an unknown intruder in the couple’s home."
According to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the death a homicide. The Sheriff’s Office is asking the public for help and is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information about the case.
Travis and Jamilyn’s close friend Alain Leon told KOIN-TV, "He saved her life. He protected her from the attacker."
According to the Salem Statesman Journal, the couple was reportedly supposed to go on their first vacation on the day of the attack.
Leon, who was Travis' best man at his wedding, told KOIN someone who was supposed to cat-sit for them called police when the attack occurred. Leon said Jamilyn is "really into pottery," but "the muscle was severed" in one of her hands.
Travis' family wrote in a statement, "Our family is grieving the loss of our son, nephew, brother, and friend Travis Juetten, age 26, whose life was brutally cut short the morning of August 13th by an unknown assailant who murdered him inside his home. His wife Jamilyn was seriously injured and is recovering in the hospital. Travis was a kind, gentle, and loving person who did not deserve to lose his life, and for reasons unknown to any of us."
The statement continued, "While we grieve Travis’s loss and wish for Jamilyn’s health, we continue to be concerned for the safety of our family, friends, and neighbors. If you have any information that could be of assistance, please contact Marion County Sheriff’s Office. Your help is greatly appreciated."
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