Portland Man Admits Killing Girlfriend in Motel 6 Last Year

PORTLAND, OR – What started out as an investigation into a SUV that turned out to be stolen, reached the end game on Thursday when 32-year-old Joshua Scott Carlson admitted killing his girlfriend last April.

Carlson pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, saying that he had killed 42-year-old Valerie Johnson in a room at the Motel 6 on Southeast Powell by 31st Avenue.

The investigation had started when police started looking into a stolen SUV in the motel parking lot. Carlson was seen getting into the vehicle and sped off as police gave chase. While he was able to avoid capture at first, police eventually found him and arrested him.

As some officers were chasing Carlson, others searched the motel room that had been registered to him. Get all the latest information on what's happening in your community by signing up for Patch's newsletters and breaking news alerts.

Inside, they found the body of Johnson. She had a belt around her neck and the medical examiner determined that she had been strangled.

Her family appeared in court by phone and said that they support the plea deal.

Carlson will be sentenced on September 7.

Photo via Multnomah County Sheriff's Office.