PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A man has been charged with murder in connection to human remains found in a burned vehicle in Hazel Dell in August.
Logan Melchert was booked for the additional crime of second-degree murder Monday while he was already in custody at the Clark County Jail on charges of second-degree arson and unlawful disposal of human remains for the same case, authorities say.
On August 21, 2023, the Clark County Sherriff’s Office said they were searching for a man who had been missing for several weeks when they said they discovered a Kia Soul that had been burned with the human remains inside the vehicle.
According to detectives, the investigation has shown that Melchert lit the Kia on fire with the human remains inside and that the Kia is owned by the estate of Melchert’s deceased father.
The victim was identified through dental records as Khalid Al-Hassan. Authorities say Al-Hassan had not been in contact with family and friends since late July. Two weeks later, he was reported as a missing person and was last known to be roommates with Melchert in Vancouver.
