Man Shockingly Charged With Murder of Girlfriend Months After Her Death Was Ruled a Suicide

Authorities in Oregon, have charged a man with the murder of his girlfriend months after her death was initially ruled a suicide.

On July 18, 2024, 30-year-old Mariah A. King was found dead at her residence on Nandina Street in Sweet Home, Oregon, which she shared with her boyfriend, Jerod L. Norman, KEZI 9 reported.

At the time, King's death was ruled a suicide. However, a postmortem examination later revealed the presence of a foreign object inside King's body, prompting police to reopen the case and launch a detailed investigation.

Following months of investigation, Sweet Home police arrested 40-year-old Norman on January 13, 2025, on charges of second-degree murder and first-degree abuse of a corpse.

He was taken into custody without incident and arraigned shortly after. Meanwhile, investigators are also seeking Norman's father, 65-year-old David L. Norman, for further questioning in the case.

Norman is currently being held in Linn County Jail, with his next court appearance scheduled for January 21, 2025.