Policemumon arrest in killing of barista

GRESHAM, Ore. — The discovery of a 21- yearold woman’s body on a remote, forested mountain gave a terrible answer to the family, friends and church members who worked so hard to find out what happened to her.

But it remained unclear Saturday what information led police to a neighbor and acquaintance who had emerged as a suspect in her death last week.

Jonathan Holt, 24, of Gresham, a resident of the apartment complex where Whitney Heichel lived with her husband, was arrested for investigation of aggravatedmurder Friday night, about the same time Heichel’s body was found on LarchMountain, east of Gresham. Holt is scheduled to be arraignedMonday in Clackamas County.

Police had no autopsy results Saturday and sought to derail speculation that Holt and Heichel might have been anything but acquaintances.

“There is no evidence that has surfaced … leading investigators to believe there was anything more” to their relationship, according to a city news release.

Heichel reportedly left her apartment Tuesday morning for her job as a Starbucks barista. She never showed up, and three hours later, her husband, Clint, called police. He told investigators he tried to reach his wife multiple times after her boss alerted him that she had never arrived for her 7 a. m. shift.

Police said Heichel’s ATMcard was used at a nearby Troutdale gas station at 9: 14 a. m. Tuesday. Two hours later, family and friends discovered her sport utility vehicle in aWal- Mart parking lot. Its passenger- side window had been smashed.

Some of her belongings were found in a trash bin nearby, and a child later found her cellphone in a field by theWal- Mart.

Chief Craig Junginger said police began combing LarchMountain on Wednesday after the family’s search turned up a license plate and other “items of interest.”

Heichel’s body was found Friday night.

It was not immediately clear whether Holt had obtained a lawyer. He remained held without bail at theMultnomah County Detention Center.