PORTLAND, Ore. — A man accused of killing several women and dumping their bodies in the Portland area was arraigned Wednesday on a fifth murder charge.

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Jesse Calhoun’s defense attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf in a Portland courtroom where victims’ family members were present. The hearing, during which Calhoun remained silent, came after he was indicted last week on the most recent second-degree murder charge over the death of Ashley Real, 22, in 2023.

Calhoun has now been charged with five counts of second-degree murder for five victims, along with four counts of abuse of a corpse. The victims’ bodies were found over multiple months in early 2023, sparking concern at the time that a serial killer might be targeting young women in the region.

Calhoun was previously indicted in the deaths of Kristin Smith, 22; Charity Perry, 24; Bridget Webster, 31; and Joanna Speaks, 32.

He remains in custody at the Multnomah County Detention Center. His defense attorneys declined to comment.

Real, Perry, Webster and Smith were found in northwestern Oregon, while Speaks was found near an abandoned barn in southwestern Washington. Their bodies were found in a roughly 100-mile radius, including in wooded areas and in a culvert.

Jose Real, Ashley Real’s father, was in tears as he spoke with reporters after the hearing. He recalled memories of watching her grow up and playing with her brother.

“I never thought or imagined that my family would experience something like this,” he said through a Spanish interpreter. “She had a heart of gold.”

Masciell Real, Ashley’s sister, also spoke through tears.

“I think being in that courtroom today and being able to see him, and know that he is behind bars now, it takes the weight off my shoulders knowing that he isn’t around and free to cause any harm to any other women out there,” she said. “But it also doesn’t take away the fact that my sister isn’t here anymore.”

Relatives of other victims were also present.

“We’ve all experienced the worst thing that could ever happen to you, and it’s incredibly hard to see one of the other families hurt the way we do,” said Melissa Smith, mother of Kristin Smith.

Jose Real previously told The Associated Press that he had called police in November 2022 after his daughter showed up crying at his Portland home, saying she had been choked by Calhoun. She had marks on her throat, he said, and he took her to a hospital.

Real said at the time that an initial police report was taken but that the case was then transferred to a different jurisdiction and it was difficult to reach those overseeing it. Details of the attack were first reported by The Oregonian/OregonLive.

His daughter’s body was found in May 2023 by a man who was fishing in a pond southeast of Portland.

Calhoun was arrested in June 2023 on unrelated parole warrants and then indicted in 2024 and 2025 in the other four women’s deaths. The initial indictment came weeks before Calhoun was due to be released from state prison, where he was returned in 2023 to finish serving a four-year term for assaulting a police officer, trying to strangle a police dog, burglary and other charges.

He was initially released in 2021, a year early, because he helped fight wildfires in 2020 under a prison firefighting program. Gov. Tina Kotek revoked the commutation in 2023 when police began investigating him in the deaths.

A trial date has yet to be set.

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A new master’s degree just launched at the University of Utah.

The University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business Master of Science in Financial Technology program is scheduled to start in the fall of 2026.

The program includes curriculum such as AI, data analytics and financial regulation. According to the university, it will put an emphasis on applied learning and offer flexibility for students working in the field.

This comes as researchers say Utah is gaining momentum as a financial technology hub.

“Utah has emerged as a national hub for financial technology, creating demand for talent that understands both finance and technology,” said Kurt Dirks, Dean of the David Eccles School of Business, in a press release. “This program is designed to prepare students to help companies innovate, grow, and thrive by combining technical fluency, financial expertise, and an understanding of the broader business and regulatory environment.”

Utah’s fintech industry includes 67 companies that support around 8,000 jobs. Careers in these fields average a salary of $131,500, doubling the state average.

The new Master of Science in Financial Technology program is in response to growing demand of finance, data, and technology jobs.

The program includes curriculum like AI, data analytics and financial regulation. It offers flexibility for working professionals as well.

For more information about the program, click HERE.

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers are keeping Darnell Washington around for another four years, signing the former third-round tight end to a contract extension, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

Washington is the team’s third contract extension this spring, joining kicker Chris Boswell and edge rusher Nick Herbig. He’s the second member of the 2023 draft class after he and Herbig signed in back-to-back days.

Washington’s deal is worth $42 million and includes $21 million in guaranteed money.

The 6-foot-7 tight end out of Georgia found a nice groove for himself on the offensive side of the ball last season and became a reliable target for Aaron Rodgers while being used as a key piece to the running game. Under new head coach Mike McCarthy, Washington’s role is expected to grow even more.

“Love Darnell, he’s been here every day, in the classroom, good student, he’s a pro’s pro,” McCarthy said about Washington during minicamp. “I’ve been veryimpressed with him. He’s done everything we’ve asked. I know I keep saying this, it’s year one that you get to know your players, go to certain schemes, you may tilt one way or the other variations of schemes, and definitely we’ve been doing that with our tight ends, and he’s a big part of that reason.”

With Washington under contract for the next five years and Pat Freiermuth having three more years on his deal, the Steelers solidify their tight end room for the future. Both players will be heavily involved, as Freiermuth remains the top pass-catching option and Washington grows into an all-around weapon.

Steelers Moves Aren’t Done Yet

The Steelers aren’t done with their offseason extensions, either. Outside of Washington, Herbig and Boswell, Joey Porter Jr., Keeanu Benton and Spencer Anderson could all ink deals before the season.

Porter Jr. was the talk of the town heading into the offseason, but with a contract that is likely top five in the NFL at his position, it may take longer than hoped for the two sides to sign a deal. Both sides remain optimistic, but also realistic that it may take time.

As for Benton, the team is currently negotiating with him and he could be the next domino to fall in the signings. Don’t rule out Anderson getting a deal done as well.

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