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Murder weapon believed found
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| Photo courtesy Klamath County Sheriff's Department Divers search for a murder weapon Tuesday in the A Canal near the Hope Street bridge. |
By LAURA McVICKER
H&N Staff Writer
Sheriff’s Department divers recovered a handgun believed used in the Sunday murder of two people.
The gun was brought up late Monday from the bottom of the A Canal near the Hope Street bridge.
Matthew Avina-Norris, 22, was arrested Monday night and charged with aggravated murder for the killings of Marissa Lynn Orlow, 20, and David Joshua Kitts. He also faces attempted murder charges for shooting and wounding Melissa Ann Kitts, 18, who is in critical but stable condition at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland.
The shooting occurred at the Kitts’ apartment at 4520 Bristol Ave. early Sunday.
On Tuesday, Avina-Norris, who is from Madras but has ties in Klamath Falls, refused to be extradited from Modoc County. He was found in northeastern California Monday night by Klamath County Sheriff’s deputies and California authorities.
He’s being held on $2.5 million bail and will go before a Modoc County judge Aug. 30 to determine whether there’s cause to believe he’s the murder suspect and should be transported to Klamath County, said District Attorney Ed Caleb.
If convicted, Avina-Norris could face death.
“Anytime two people are killed at the same incident, it carries the potential death penalty,” Caleb said.
The shootings occurred at about 6:30 a.m. Sunday, when Avina-Norris knocked on the door of his acquaintances, the Kitts. He entered the apartment with a friend, Peter Covarrubias, when, authorities say, he took out a handgun and opened fire.
“The suspect was set off by a benign comment made by one of victims,” Evinger said.
Detectives have yet to say why Avina-Norris showed up at the apartment, but believe the incident could be drug related.
The three shooting victims were the only people besides Avina-Norris and Covarrubias in the room. Orlow lived at the complex, and was visiting the Kitts, Klamath County Sheriff Tim Evinger said.
Avina-Norris and Covarrubias fled in a vehicle. That’s when, investigators believe, Avina-Norris threw the gun in the A Canal. After learning of the possible whereabouts of the suspected murder weapon, volunteer divers combed 25 yards of murky water with zero visibility, Evinger said. Rescuers wore lead weights around their waists as they felt the canal ground on their hands and knees.
An hour later, diver Mark Benson found the gun under eight feet of water.
“They train for it all the time — for evidence searches and searching for persons,” Evinger said. “The outcome isn’t always that quick.”
Covarrubias is being held in the Klamath County Jail on $275,000 bail, charged with hindering prosecution and being a material witness in the case.
Since May of this year, Avina-Norris has had nine criminal cases in Klamath County Circuit Court, including at least three charges of possession of methamphetamine, felon in possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to court records.
He has been convicted and served jail time for violent crimes in Jefferson County, including kidnapping and second-degree assault.
A week before the murder, Avina-Norris was released from the Klamath County Jail after posting bail on a meth charge, records show. Klamath County Circuit Judge Marci Adkisson ordered him not to have guns.
The gun was brought up late Monday from the bottom of the A Canal near the Hope Street bridge.
Matthew Avina-Norris, 22, was arrested Monday night and charged with aggravated murder for the killings of Marissa Lynn Orlow, 20, and David Joshua Kitts. He also faces attempted murder charges for shooting and wounding Melissa Ann Kitts, 18, who is in critical but stable condition at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland.
The shooting occurred at the Kitts’ apartment at 4520 Bristol Ave. early Sunday.
On Tuesday, Avina-Norris, who is from Madras but has ties in Klamath Falls, refused to be extradited from Modoc County. He was found in northeastern California Monday night by Klamath County Sheriff’s deputies and California authorities.
He’s being held on $2.5 million bail and will go before a Modoc County judge Aug. 30 to determine whether there’s cause to believe he’s the murder suspect and should be transported to Klamath County, said District Attorney Ed Caleb.
If convicted, Avina-Norris could face death.
“Anytime two people are killed at the same incident, it carries the potential death penalty,” Caleb said.
The shootings occurred at about 6:30 a.m. Sunday, when Avina-Norris knocked on the door of his acquaintances, the Kitts. He entered the apartment with a friend, Peter Covarrubias, when, authorities say, he took out a handgun and opened fire.
“The suspect was set off by a benign comment made by one of victims,” Evinger said.
Detectives have yet to say why Avina-Norris showed up at the apartment, but believe the incident could be drug related.
The three shooting victims were the only people besides Avina-Norris and Covarrubias in the room. Orlow lived at the complex, and was visiting the Kitts, Klamath County Sheriff Tim Evinger said.
Avina-Norris and Covarrubias fled in a vehicle. That’s when, investigators believe, Avina-Norris threw the gun in the A Canal. After learning of the possible whereabouts of the suspected murder weapon, volunteer divers combed 25 yards of murky water with zero visibility, Evinger said. Rescuers wore lead weights around their waists as they felt the canal ground on their hands and knees.
An hour later, diver Mark Benson found the gun under eight feet of water.
“They train for it all the time — for evidence searches and searching for persons,” Evinger said. “The outcome isn’t always that quick.”
Covarrubias is being held in the Klamath County Jail on $275,000 bail, charged with hindering prosecution and being a material witness in the case.
Since May of this year, Avina-Norris has had nine criminal cases in Klamath County Circuit Court, including at least three charges of possession of methamphetamine, felon in possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to court records.
He has been convicted and served jail time for violent crimes in Jefferson County, including kidnapping and second-degree assault.
A week before the murder, Avina-Norris was released from the Klamath County Jail after posting bail on a meth charge, records show. Klamath County Circuit Judge Marci Adkisson ordered him not to have guns.
Reader Comments
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alison wrote on Aug 28, 2007 3:29 AM:
" I feel for the victims families i pray everynight that god will help them through this tough time. as a member of Matthews family I can't believe that this has happened and that so many lives have been affected. i hope that justice brings some peace to the families that have lost so much. no matter what this is over it wasn't enough to lose someone you love and cherish. these kids had everything to look forward to in life and it was taken from them. that is what everyone should be concerned with. i hope that Melissa has a full recovery. marissa's and Davids families i feel for your sorrow and loss. god bless my thoughts and prayers are with each of you. "
Kristen wrote on Aug 22, 2007 7:49 PM:
" I agree John, the victims in this were close friends of mine, although they were in the wrong for dealing with drugs that kid shouldn't of been on the streets. I believe this issue could have been by passed with more jail time. Kids never learn if they just sitt in a jail sell. "
bree wrote on Aug 22, 2007 7:41 PM:
" you guys know ... that when someone tells the police about anything and they get put in jail for it then someones getting shot at or possibly killed. "
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Barb wrote on Jan 13, 2009 8:38 PM: