The Columbia County Sheriff announced today that it had apprehended a wanted murder suspect. Around 2:37 p.m. on December 19, 2023, a caller informed authorities that her daughter had been stabbed by a male subject at a home on Southwest 4th in Scappoose. The suspect was later identified as 40-year-old Derek Lee Welter.

At the scene, deputies found an unresponsive female victim lying on the front porch. The female victim, who was later identified as 34-year-old Rhiannon Amelia Meyer, was pronounced deceased at the scene. Authorities say they collected information about the vehicle the suspect was occupying when he left the scene before searching the surrounding areas.

Just after 6 p.m., a vehicle matching the description was found near the Gunners Lake Main-line. An OSP Trooper attempted to stop the vehicle as it was driving towards them. The suspect vehicle reversed away from investigators in an attempt to flee, but the vehicle backed into the end of the road. Since Welter is known to carry firearms, authorities set up a perimeter and OSP SWAT was activated.

SWAT reached the scene just after 9 p.m. and the suspect was taken into custody around 11:35 p.m. without further incident. Welter was booked into the Columbia County Jail on charges of Murder II, Assault I, and Unlawful Use of a Weapon.