Portland Police Bureau identified Richard Lee Bowers, a 57-year-old Portland man, as the victim of an alleged homicide on Hayden Island that occurred at the end of June.

Officials said that Bowers died from homicide due to blunt force trauma. He was reportedly found dead in a homeless encampment within a heavily wooded area, up an embankment from the river, court records show.

Timothy L. Hudson, 68, was arrested and indicted by a Multnomah County Grand Jury on second-degree murder, first-degree attempted murder, felony strangulation, unauthorized use of a weapon and animal abuse.

The first-degree attempted murder, felony strangulation and animal abuse charges are for the alleged attack on Bowers’ girlfriend and her dog following the homicide.

What happened

Police responded to reports of a body found on the west end of Hayden Island in Portland at around 11:30 a.m. on June 26. Hayden Island is situated between the main channel of the Columbia River and the North Portland Harbor, near Vancouver, Washington.

Around 9:40 p.m. on Wednesday, June 25, the Bureau of Emergency Communications received calls from a woman claiming her partner was bleeding from his head due to a fight, court records show.

Portland firefighters responded to the area by boat, and as they approached, Hudson reportedly yelled an “expletive” at them, refused medical help and walked away, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Court records show that BOEC reportedly received a 911 call around 11:30 a.m. the following day, in which the caller claimed Hudson told them he got in a fight the night before and killed a man, and he said he was hit with a hammer.

Police described the area where Bowers was found dead as a homeless encampment with multiple tent-like structures. Hudson has allegedly lived there for about five years, according to a probable cause affidavit.

On Monday, June 23, Hudson allegedly allowed Bowers, referred to by the name “Dick” in court records, his girlfriend and their dog to stay at his camp. The three of them were drinking for several hours on Wednesday, June 25, when Bowers allegedly started a physical fight with Hudson, according to court records, which lasted about 20 minutes.

Hudson said he was able to win the fight because Bowers was so intoxicated, court records show, and reportedly told officials he took the fight “too far.”

According to a probable cause affidavit, Hudson found Bowers’ girlfriend hiding in a tent, where he slapped her multiple times and restricted her, and told her she needed to call 911. The girlfriend allegedly left with her dog, and Hudson had not seen her since.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Detective Ryan Foote at ryan.foote@police.portlandoregon.gov, (503) 823-0781, or Detective Matt Brown at matthew.brown@police.portlandoregon.gov, (503) 823-0859 and reference case No. 25-169344.