Transient Killer Cleared Of Wrongdoing By Grand Jury

PORTLAND, OR — A Multnomah County grand jury last week refused to indict the tattoo artist responsible for killing a transient in East Portland earlier this month, reportedly deciding "no criminal prosecution was warranted as a result of the use of deadly force."

Joseph Dymond Vinci, 48, shot 38-year-old Richard Ryan Hanley during an altercation in the 1200-block of Southeast Seventh Avenue just after 3 p.m. Feb. 10.

The events that led to the fatal shooting have not been explained, despite the decision not to indict. Patch has reached out to the Portland Police Bureau and will update this post if it responds.

Hanley reportedly came from California around 2013 and was a noted transient in the Oregon Criminal Justice System by June 2014, when he was first arrested in Multnomah County for disorderly conduct, interfering with a peace officer, and offensive littering.

Hanley was arrested at least four more times since then, with his most recent set of charges stemming from a May 2016 domestic violence incident involving an ex-girlfriend.

Hanley was accused of assault, harassment, and/or menacing in all four arrests, with some complaints indicating a propensity for random acts of violence against complete and total strangers as well as people known to him.

While being booked at the Multnomah County Detention Center for an arrest in June 2015, for example, Hanley reportedly became combative and assaulted a female deputy, grabbing and pulling out some of her hair, according to court documents obtained by Patch.

Hanley had multiple warrants for his arrest at the time of his death, all issued in November 2016.

Aside from more than a dozen parking meter violations (some of which were later dismissed), Vinci has no significant criminal history.

When detectives conclude their investigation, all information will be sent to the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office for review.

Anyone with information about this incident should call Detective Brad Clifton at 503-823-0696, or email Brad.Clifton@portlandoregon.gov.

Image via Multnomah County Sheriff's Office