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Crime
A man from Oregon pleaded guilty Wednesday to a 1979 murder in Back Bay, a crime he confessed to in 2023, authorities said.
John Irmer, 71, was charged with first-degree murder of 24-year-old Susan Rose, whose body was found in an apartment at 285 Beacon St. on Oct. 30, 1979, according to a statement from Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden.
In August 2023, Irmer confessed to the murder at an FBI field office in Portland, Oregon. He initially spoke with federal authorities twice, each time admitting to the crime, before Boston Police Homicide Unit detectives traveled to Oregon to interview him, according to a 2023 statement of facts filed with the court.
Irmer told detectives that his decision to confess stemmed from becoming sober and “finding Jesus” after serving a lengthy prison sentence for a separate murder conviction in California, the statement of facts noted.
Irmer described meeting the victim, identified as Rose, in Boston around Halloween 1979 while she was arguing with her boyfriend, court records indicate.
After visiting Rose’s basement apartment and walking around Back Bay, Irmer and Rose stopped at a house under construction. As Rose walked up a set of stairs inside the house, Irmer struck her in the head with a hammer “so hard that he believes that he killed her instantly,” according to court documents.
Irmer also confessed to sexually assaulting Rose after killing her, authorities said.
After the murder, Irmer admitted to stealing Rose’s wallet, taking the cash, and discarding the remainder of the wallet into the Charles River before traveling by bus to New York.
Irmer additionally confessed to committing another murder in a southern state, which authorities from that state are investigating. He also admitted to shooting someone in a different southern state, though he was uncertain if that victim died, according to court documents.
“Irmer repeatedly stated that he wanted to do what was right and cited his finding Jesus and feeling bad about what he had done for his reason for confessing and wanting to plead guilty immediately,” the statement of facts noted.
First-degree murder carries a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office.
A different man was initially arrested for Rose’s murder but was ultimately found not guilty, according to Hayden. In 2005, a DNA profile was developed from sperm cells located on a broom that had been found inserted inside Rose’s body, and the person previously arrested was excluded as the source of the sperm found on the broomstick.
Rose’s older sister presented a victim impact statement during Wednesday’s hearing, Hayden said. She held a photo of Rose from first grade, saying she wished to remember her that way.
Rose was described by her sister as adventurous, intelligent, and motivated, with dreams of becoming a lawyer.

“All of this was taken from her … Susie never got to finish school, get married, or have her own children,” she said. “She never got to see all the places she wanted to visit, meet new friends, or have new adventures. Her life was cut short at the age of 24.”
Rose’s sister explained how the murder profoundly impacted her family.
“My parents were never the same after Susie’s murder,” she said. “Though they lived long lives, they were never truly happy or at peace.”
Mourning the loss of her only sibling, Rose’s sister shared her personal grief, saddened by the fact that her daughter would never have the chance to meet her aunt.
“I am relieved that there is some closure to this nightmare,” she said. “I truly hope that John Irmer understands what he did because I will never forget.”
Following the hearing, Hayden commended the investigators on the case. He also addressed Rose’s family, saying “The answers for Susan Rose’s sister and friends finally came today, though after a very long and sad period of time. I hope other families affected by John Irmer’s murderous behavior find similar answers.”
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Oregon’s juvenile justice system has been reshaped in recent years by a sweeping reform law that changed how the state handles minors accused of serious crimes.
Senate Bill 1008, which took effect in 2020, ended automatic transfers of juveniles into adult court and eliminated life without parole sentences for juveniles. The law also created “second-look” hearings and established parole eligibility after 15 years for certain offenders who committed crimes before turning 18.
To help explain the law and its impact, KVAL’s Frannie Pedersen put together a timeline video tracing the history of Senate Bill 1008, from the passage of Measure 11 in 1994 to the reforms that later reshaped Oregon’s juvenile justice system.
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The video breaks down how the law changed, why lawmakers pushed for reform, and how SB 1008 continues to influence Oregon’s justice system today. Viewers can watch the full video for a detailed timeline and explanation of the changes.
PORTLAND, Ore. — A New Jersey man was sentenced to federal prison last Friday for conspiring to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon.
Mark T. Eager, 34, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.
“This defendant showed a blatant disregard for human life by trafficking fentanyl across the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Bradford. “My office will continue to pursue those who profit from poisoning our communities, and we will use every available resource and partnership to combat fentanyl trafficking and keep Oregonians safe.”
“This investigation brought together law enforcement agencies from across the nation,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “Homeland Security Investigations special agents from Portland, Newark, and Houston contributed to the case, along with the Portland Police Bureau and HIDTA HIT officers, who were instrumental in identifying Eager. His 11-year sentence sends a clear message: no matter where you are in the country or the world, if you attempt to sell narcotics online to Americans, we will find you.”
“Fentanyl trafficking poses a grave threat to communities across the United States, and Homeland Security Investigations is committed to working with our partners to disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks responsible,” said HSI Houston Special Agent in Charge Lucia Cabral-DeArmas. “This case demonstrates the power of interagency collaboration under the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, leveraging resources from across the country to hold traffickers accountable and protect the American people. We will continue to pursue those who endanger lives through the distribution of dangerous synthetic opioids, and we remain steadfast in our mission to safeguard our communities from the violence and instability caused by transnational criminal organizations.”
“By following this offender’s digital trail, Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners nationwide executed federal search warrants, dismantled an active dark web fentanyl packaging operation and recovered deadly amounts of fentanyl, thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency, and a trove of electronic devices and packaging materials,” said HSI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas. “This case is a powerful example of how coordinated, data-driven investigations can disrupt dangerous networks and help protect our communities from lethal synthetic opioids.”
According to court documents, from November 2023 through June 2024, Eager and his co-conspirator sold fentanyl on the Dark Net and Telegram. Eager operated as the vendor WRSEH10 and marketed the fentanyl as “China White Synthetic Heroin.”
In June 2024, HSI agents executed search warrants on two residences associated with Eager in Kearny, New Jersey, and seized over 360 grams of powdered fentanyl, counterfeit M30 pills, drug ledgers, cellular phones, two computers, and drug packaging consistent with three deliveries that were sent to Oregon.
On September 4, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a four-count indictment charging Eager with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl.
On February 4, 2026, Eager pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
HSI Portland and HSI Houston investigated this case with assistance from HSI Newark, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Interdiction Task Force (HIT). Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Kerin prosecuted the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey assisted the U.S. Attorney’s in Oregon in obtaining the search warrants that were executed in Kearny.
Oregon State’s season came to an end in Eugene on Sunday evening, after a rocky 7th inning doomed them against the 11th-ranked Oregon Ducks. The Beavers put up a valiant effort to try and fight their way back from the loser’s bracket, but they couldn’t accomplish this incredible feat that they pulled off in 2025.
A Bad Start Changed Everything
Winning the first game of a regional is almost a must if you want to advance, and this is where things started to go south.
After a nearly two-week layoff (since they didn’t have a conference tournament), OSU’s bats were rusty against a very solid left-hander in WSU’s Nick Lewis. Though the Beavers were able to put up a run early on, Lewis rolled with the punches and ended up throwing a complete game against the country’s seventh-ranked team. Though their bats came to life the next day, the uphill climb proved to be too much.
Pitching Wasn’t the Issue
Oregon State came into this tournament with the nation’s best ERA, and their starting rotation was exactly as advertised.
After a good outing from Kleinschmit on Friday afternoon, Eric Segura threw a 6.2 inning gem in an elimination game against Yale. True freshman Trey Morris threw 117 pitches in the rout of WSU early Saturday, and Wyatt Queen was excellent against the Ducks off of short rest later that evening.
The Power Just Wasn’t There
In today’s era of baseball where starting pitchers are so talented, it’s crucial to have guys that can get you runs with just one swing of the bat, especially when the man on the hill is striking a lot of people out.
Throughout the entirety of this season, the Beavers have not been a club that hits for much power, and this makes things difficult in the postseason. In four games across the Eugene regional, Oregon State didn’t hit a single ball out of the park. In 2026 they only hit a total of 55 homers, a stark contrast from the 107 of 2025’s Omaha year.
They Ran into a Good Team With a Deep Pitching Staff
In Mark Wasikowski’s tenure with the Ducks, his team’s pitching has often been a crutch that holds them back from big postseason runs. This certainly doesn’t seem to be the case this year.
Throughout the regional that they hosted, Oregon starters looked nearly untouchable. Will Sanford struck out 14 batters and didn’t allow a run against Washington State. Yesterday against the Beavers, left-hander Miles Gosztola was phenomenal, bouncing back after allowing a run in the second inning. The Ducks also have great relievers in guys like Tanner Bradley and Devin Bell. With a lot of reliable arms to go to, it would’ve been difficult to beat Oregon twice.
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