Jeffrey Cutlip

Case name

Jeffrey Cutlip

Status and outcome

Jeffrey Cutlip pleaded guilty. A judge sentenced him to three consecutive life terms in prison on January 17, 2014.

In a separate proceeding reflected in the case coverage, Cutlip pleaded guilty in October 2013 to killing three women in Oregon and avoided the death penalty under a plea agreement.

Timeline

• 1975 — Jeffrey Cutlip strangled Marlene Claire Carlson, 44, and sexually assaulted her corpse.
• 1977 — Jeffrey Cutlip drowned Julie Marie Bennett, 15; her death was ruled an accidental drowning at the time.
• 1977 — A judge sentenced Cutlip? (Not stated.)
• 1982 — Jeffrey Cutlip was convicted of sodomy and first-degree burglary in Oregon and was classified as a predatory sex offender.
• 1993 — Jeffrey Cutlip strangled Nielen Loribell Doll, 33, after meeting her at a Portland bar.
• July 2012 — While in Brownsville, Texas, Jeffrey Cutlip called 911 to turn himself in and confessed to involvement in the Oregon homicides.
• April 2012 — Portland police Officer Sara Clark noticed Cutlip was among offenders who had not registered as a sex offender and contacted law enforcement in Brownsville, Texas.
• November 27, 2012 — A report stated Cutlip was held without bail after a court hearing following confession and arrest in Texas.
• October 9, 2013 — Cutlip pleaded guilty in Multnomah County Circuit Court to an aggravated murder count and two murder counts; remaining charges in an 11-count indictment were to be dismissed under the plea deal.
• January 17, 2014 — Cutlip was sentenced to three consecutive life terms in prison.

Background

Jeffrey Cutlip was classified as a predatory sex offender in Oregon since his 1982 convictions for sodomy and burglary. He had a history of prison stays “in and out of prison” and periods in which he left Oregon while on parole without telling authorities where he was located, as required under the sex offender registration law.

A psychologist’s assessment described Cutlip as having “cunning, manipulative behavior, shallow effect, callused lack of empathy, poor behavioral controls, irresponsible, parasitic lifestyle.”

In relation to his sex-offender status and supervision, Cutlip faced conditions tied to parole supervision and sex offender registration requirements. His parole officer requested a warrant for his arrest in April 2001, and Oregon authorities did not know where he had gone for three years before he returned to Oregon in 2004. Cutlip wrote to the state parole board that he went to New Mexico to avoid his parole officer’s “continuous verbal and emotional abuse,” and he complained he had too many conditions to follow.

Cutlip also described living and activities while out of Oregon, including claims that he worked at a homeless shelter and volunteered at an elder care center in New Mexico, and that he toured Texas doing “one night (musical) stands.”

When his social security disability benefits were reinstated, Cutlip pledged to remain in Oregon, but the board sent him back to prison for four months.

After a release in December 2004, Cutlip violated parole again and was accused of grabbing the buttocks of a teenage girl leaving a MAX train platform in Northeast Portland. Cutlip was sent back to prison for two years.

Upon another release, Cutlip registered an address in November 2007 as a field between Southwest Barbur Boulevard and Interstate 5. His parole officer learned he was not camping as he said and was instead living with another sex offender and at one time with a girlfriend.

On May 6, 2008, Cutlip called his parole officer to check in and learned he faced a warrant for his arrest due to violation of supervision conditions. He promised to report the next day but left the state instead. About a week later, he was arrested in Bakersfield, Calif.

Before the Oregon parole board, Cutlip explained that he was homeless and “so he opted to move to a warmer climate.”

Cutlip returned to prison until July 28, 2010. By January 2011, he failed to report to his parole officer and left Portland. Authorities issued a nationwide warrant for his arrest. By April 2012, Portland police Officer Sara Clark noticed Cutlip had not registered and found an address in Texas, and she alerted Brownsville police that Cutlip might be in their community and was wanted for failure to register as a sex offender.

To make a case, the U.S. Marshals Service asked Officer Clark for copies of Cutlip’s original charging documents for rape and burglary committed in the early 1980s. Officer Clark said, “We don’t hang on to those,” and added, “That was just a snag I fell into.”

The offence

Murders confessed in Oregon

Jeffrey Cutlip confessed to three murders committed in Oregon.

Marlene Claire Carlson (1975)

Jeffrey Cutlip strangled Marlene Claire Carlson, 44, and sexually assaulted her corpse. Carlson was found dead in her downtown Portland apartment in 1975. Cutlip lived down the hall from her at the time.

Cold case detectives had suspected Cutlip in Carlson’s death when they realized Cutlip lived in the same apartment building as Carlson in 1975. After no one had seen Carlson for a week, officers found her bound inside her apartment, where she had been sexually assaulted and strangled to death. A padlock was placed outside the front door.

Julie Marie Bennett (1977)

Jeffrey Cutlip confessed to the drowning death of Julie Marie Bennett, 15, in 1977. Bennett’s body was found in Johnson Creek in the spring of 1977, and her death was ruled an accidental drowning.

Julie Bennett’s family never believed the drowning was an accident, and their mother was described as a lifeguard who taught them to swim when they were young. Detectives and family members suspected Cutlip because he was the last person Bennett was spotted with.

Investigation and evidence

Cold case investigations and suspicion

Cold case detectives reviewed the death of Julie Bennett after her family asked investigators in 2008 to take another look.

Detective Jim Lawrence began reviewing Bennett’s death in 2008. Lawrence kept Bennett’s case file on his desk.

Lawrence also described his suspicion regarding what had happened to Bennett:

“I absolutely believed, based on other things we know about Jeff Cutlip that he was down at the park playing his guitar and once Julie Bennett approached him to talk to him about playing guitar, that she was not going to get away from Jeff Cutlip,” Det. Lawrence said.

Detectives began suspecting Cutlip in Carlson’s death after learning he lived in the same apartment building in 1975. Despite suspicions, there was not enough evidence to arrest Cutlip for either of the murders until he called 911.

Lawrence commented on waiting for Cutlip to contact police:

“It was frustrating to wait, so when he finally did call the Brownsville police, I was ecstatic,” said Det. Lawrence.

911 call and confession in Texas

In July 2012, Jeffrey Cutlip called 911 in Brownsville, Texas and told the dispatcher that he wanted to turn himself in. He said:

“Hi, is this the police? I need to turn myself in,” Cutlip said to the dispatcher.

He added:

“I'm afraid people will find out and that's what's been scaring me.”

While talking with the 911 dispatcher, Cutlip named Bennett and described the killing of Carlson. Brownsville police said he called to talk to detectives “about some bad things he had done in his past,” and that he confessed to three Oregon homicides.

Portland police Detective Meredith Hopper interviewed Cutlip the day after his call and testified that Cutlip said:

“I want to get this over with. I want to clear this up.”

During the 911 call, Cutlip told the dispatcher that an officer he spoke with about his sex offender status made a comment that led him to start thinking about his crimes. Cutlip said:

“It's been eating me ever since. I can't stand it,” Cutlip said.
“I can't stand the idea that people will hate me.”

Travel and interviewing by detectives

After Cutlip’s confession, Det. Jim Lawrence and Det. Meredith Hopper flew to Brownsville. Brownsville police said Cutlip had been in their town for about 11 months.

Brownsville authorities said Cutlip confessed to killing four people, and a spokesman declined to release information about what Cutlip told detectives, including any motive for coming forward or whether Cutlip was being investigated for other crimes.

Simpson said he was not sure whether victims’ families had been notified of Cutlip’s arrest.

Cutlip’s confession included details that investigators used to tie him to the 1993 killing as well. Lawrence determined Cutlip had also killed Nielene Doll after meeting her at a bar in Portland.

Arrest and custody

Jeffrey Cutlip was arrested in Brownsville, Texas, after calling 911 and confessing to Portland cold case detectives. Reports described Cutlip being held without bail after a court hearing following the Texas arrest, and that he was held awaiting extradition to Portland.

After Cutlip was back in custody in Portland, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office registered Cutlip’s new address with state police: the downtown jail.

Trial

Plea proceedings

Jeffrey Cutlip pleaded guilty to killing three women in Oregon. In October 2013, he pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated murder and two counts of murder in Multnomah County Circuit Court. He avoided the death penalty under the plea agreement.

Cutlip’s voice was described as faint as he answered Multnomah County Circuit Judge Eric Bergstrom’s questions with a “yes” or a “yeah” to show he understood the plea deal.

A lawyer for Cutlip, Benjamin Kim, said Cutlip accepted responsibility and was looking forward to resolving the case, while declining to state why Cutlip waited until the last year to confess to the killings.

Under the plea agreement, remaining charges from a 11-count indictment were to be dismissed and Cutlip was not to be classified as a dangerous offender.

Sentencing

January 17, 2014 sentencing

On January 17, 2014, a judge sentenced Jeffrey Cutlip to three consecutive life terms in prison.

During the sentencing hearing, relatives of the victims read emotional impact statements.

Cutlip did not speak during the sentencing hearing or offer the victims an explanation for his crimes.

Det. Hopper read a letter from the daughter of Nielen Loribell Doll during the sentencing hearing.

Cutlip kept his head down during the sentencing hearing.

Impact statements and letters

Sheri Rekow, Carlson’s daughter, told Cutlip:

“We loved our mother very much. I was not close to her, but I had a chance to be close to her and you took that away from me,” Sheri Rekow told Cutlip.
“I hope you rot in hell.”

Julie Robinson, the youngest daughter of Marlene Carlson, said:

“Whatever the motive, I'm grateful to know the truth,” Julie Robinson said.
“I'm grateful to close this chapter and end the searching and wondering of the last 38 years.”

Sandra Bennett, sister of Julie Bennett, said:

“We will never get to see Julie again in this lifetime or know what she might have chosen to do with her life as an adult, the family and children and life she might have had,” Sandra Bennett said.
“All of these things were taken by this sickening, evil person that you see here before you.”

Rebecca Bennett Blick, Julie Bennett’s sister, said:

“I no longer feel the need to confront him,” said Rebecca Bennett Blick.
“I'm just very, very, very grateful he won't be out there again to do this to any other families.”

Det. Hopper read a letter from the daughter of Nielen Loribell Doll. The letter said she was raised by another family but tried to find her mother and learned Doll was killed weeks before.

Motive and detective commentary

Portland police described Cutlip’s motive as sexual gratification. Detectives testified that Cutlip particularly enjoyed tying up his victims, and in two cases had sex with their corpses.

Det. Jim Lawrence characterized Cutlip in his commentary on the case:

“He is, without a doubt, the single most evil person that I've ever encountered,” said Det. Jim Lawrence.

Det. Jim Lawrence suspected Cutlip confessed for reasons related to his supervision and hunger, saying:

“I believe he did it to make sure that he got fed and got care for as long as he needs feeding and care,” said Det. Lawrence.
“I believe he turned himself in because he was tired of running and tired of being hungry and out on the streets.”

People involved

Defendant

• Jeffrey Cutlip — predatory sex offender; pleaded guilty; received three consecutive life terms.

Victims and victim details

• Marlene Carlson (also named Marline Claire Carlson), 44 — strangled to death; sexually assaulted; found in her downtown Portland apartment in 1975.
• Julie Bennett (also named Julie Marie Bennett), 15 — drowning death in 1977; body found in Johnson Creek in the spring of 1977; death ruled an accidental drowning.
• Nielene Doll (also named Nielen Loribell Doll), 33 — strangled to death in 1993 after meeting her at a bar in Portland; body found in rural Clackamas County.

Law enforcement and court participants

• Det. Jim Lawrence — cold case detective; described suspicions and impact of confession.
• Det. Meredith Hopper — cold case detective; flew to Brownsville and interviewed Cutlip.
• Portland police Officer Sara Clark — sex offender registration detail officer; identified Cutlip as not registered and contacted Brownsville.
• Billy Killebrew — Brownsville police spokesman.
• Sgt. Pete Simpson — Portland police spokesman.
• Benjamin Kim — Cutlip’s lawyer.
• Judge Eric Bergstrom — Multnomah County Circuit Judge.

Victim relatives who spoke at sentencing

• Sheri Rekow — Carlson’s daughter.
• Julie Robinson — youngest daughter of Marlene Carlson.
• Sandra Bennett — sister of Julie Bennett.
• Rebecca Bennett Blick — sister of Julie Bennett.
• Det. Hopper — read a letter from the daughter of Nielen Loribell Doll.

Other details

1982 convictions and earlier offenses described

Jeffrey Cutlip was convicted in Oregon in 1982 for sodomy and first-degree burglary. Coverage described the burglary as involving him entering a woman’s home, tying her up and gagging her, holding her captive for six hours while he sexually assaulted her.

A later report described that seven months after Cutlip was released from prison in 1993, he robbed two people using a shotgun. His parole was revoked and he was sent back to prison for six more years.

Claims about mental illness and hospitalization

A lawyer for Cutlip wrote that Cutlip had a history of mental problems and was admitted to a mental hospital several times since the 1960s, according to Multnomah County court records, and that Cutlip was taking medication for manic depression.