Witness describes shootings of Lake Oswego woman, grandson

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View full sizeAdrien Wallace

Adrien Graham Wallace stood over his mother as she lay on the ground and shot her in the head with a rifle. He then walked to her car, stuck the barrel inside the Prius, took aim and shot his nephew in the head, according to a witness who testified before the Clackamas County grand jury.

"I just saw someone shoot my neighbor," Jeremy Vermilyea told a 9-1-1 dispatcher after watching the horrific scene unfold.

Saundra Sue Wallace and Nicolas Brian Juarez had their bags packed and were preparing to drive to Nick's home in Mountain View, Calif. when they were killed Monday night.

Vermilyea, an attorney who lives on Southwest Indian Springs Circle directly across the street from the Wallace home, said in an interview Friday that his daughter witnessed the woman's death. They provided their accounts to a grand jury that indicted Adrien Wallace, 41, on two counts of aggravated murder. He was formally charged Friday in Clackamas County Circuit Court.

Wallace's attorney, David Falls, said in court Friday that he may request a mental health evaluation of Wallace. Falls declined further comment. A trial date may be set at Wallace's next court appearance on June 25.

If convicted, Wallace could face the death penalty.

During the killings and afterward, Wallace "was very calm," Vermilyea told The Oregonian.

View full sizeSaundra Sue Wallace

View full sizeNicolas Juarez

Vermilyea said he thought he heard six shots but other neighbors reported hearing more. Wallace reportedly used a semiautomatic military-style rifle capable of firing 20 rounds without reloading.

After shooting Juarez, Wallace put the gun down on the sidewalk, went in the house and closed the door, Vermilyea said.

Shortly after that, the garage door opened and Vermilyea said he saw Wallace inside smoking a cigarette and talking on the phone. A 9-1-1 operator told Vermilyea that Wallace was talking to another dispatcher.

By then a swarm of police officers had arrived. Wallace put his arms in the air -- phone in one hand -- and started walking backward down the street toward police, who took him into custody.

Vermilyea moved into the neighborhood almost two years ago and had never seen Adrien Wallace until the day of the killings.

"I never knew he lived there," Vermilyea said.

When they were killed, Sue Wallace and Nick Juarez were returning to the boy's home in California for the middle school graduation of Nick's 13-year-old sister.

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