Ramond Andrew Lawrence, 17, of Portland was arraigned in juvenile court Friday on a murder allegation in connection with one of the two New Year's Eve

Ramond Andrew Lawrence, 17, of Portland was arraigned in juvenile court Friday on a murder allegation in connection with one of the two New Year's Eve shooting deaths in Gresham. He's being held on $250,000 bail. Gresham police found two 18-year-old men dead late Wednesday after being alerted to people running through an apartment complex and firing guns just before 8 p.m. Gresham officers found Darius Jerrel Perry, 18, of Portland lying in the street by the Barberry Village Apartments, in the 200 block of Southeast 188th Street. As police canvassed the neighborhood, they discovered the body of Willy Lewis Butler, 18, of Portland behind a nearby apartment complex. Investigators suspect Butler fatally shot Perry, and then Lawrence shot and killed Butler, said Sean Riddell, a Multnomah County deputy district attorney. Butler was a half brother to a murder suspect, Latwan Brown, 30, who is wanted in Cross' killing at the North Portland church last month. Detectives found an empty revolver near Butler, suggesting he may have fired all six rounds. Police suspect Perry had fired at least one shot at Butler, striking him in the leg before he was killed. Lawrence is suspected of firing a .45-caliber handgun; eight to 10 .45-caliber casings were recovered at the scene, Riddell said. Detectives do not expect any further arrests in the double homicide case. Lawrence was arrested Thursday night. All three teenagers are known gang members and were on parole supervision by the Oregon Youth Authority, meaning they had spent time at MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility in the past for juvenile offenses, officials said. Perry had prior convictions for unlawful possession of a firearm; Butler for unlawful delivery of cocaine and possession of a stolen vehicle. Lawrence had been paroled in October after he had been in custody for assault, discharge of a firearm and disorderly conduct, according to Karen Andall, an assistant director at Oregon Youth Authority.

Posted in: Oregon Youth Authority