The man once known throughout the Pacific Northwest as the “Starry Night murderer” — infamous for a 1980s killing outside Portland’s Starry Night nightclub — has been arrested again, according to a report by KOIN. Authorities say the suspect, whose past conviction was one of the most notorious in Portland’s nightlife history, was taken into custody over the weekend on new charges unrelated to the original killing.

Though this latest arrest occurred in Portland, the story carries lingering resonance across the Columbia River. Many residents of Longview and Kelso still remember when the original crime dominated evening newscasts throughout the region. The Starry Night case, which involved tangled allegations of cover-ups, corruption, and club culture gone rotten, left an indelible mark on Pacific Northwest criminal history — and exposed the uneasy relationship between nightlife, law enforcement, and privilege in the 1980s.

According to the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect was booked on new charges this week. Details of the arrest are still emerging, but the renewed attention has reopened decades-old conversations about accountability and rehabilitation — particularly for individuals whose notoriety once made them household names. Legal experts note that serial brush-ins with the law raise complex questions about how reintegration and public safety should balance when someone has already served time for violent crimes.

For Cowlitz County readers, this story serves as a reminder of how regional stories of justice and power still reverberate. When crimes this prominent recur, they invite reflection not only on one man’s choices but on the broader systems that repeatedly fail to prevent recidivism. Our communities deserve more than cautionary tales — we deserve a justice system that prioritizes prevention, mental health, and social healing over spectacle and fear.

As more details develop, the incident will be a test of how far Oregon and Washington have come since the “Starry Night” era — and how far both sides of the Columbia still have to go in balancing justice with compassion.

Source: KOIN: Portland’s Infamous ‘Starry Night’ Murderer Arrested Again