Case #15 - Loni Kai Okaruru
- Date of Incident – August 26th, 2001
- Location – Hillsboro, Washington County, Oregon
- Date of Birth: 10/21/1969
- Case Entry Made: 01/24/2026
- Last Updated: 01/24/2026
Contact Information:
Washington County Sheriff: 503-846-2500
Referencing case # 01-17615
Social Media, News and Case Links:Facebook Case Post: Loni Criminal Case Post
🧍♀️ Who Was Loni Kai Okaruru?
Loni Kai Okaruru was a 28-year-old transgender woman living in Oregon. Born Lorenzo Igisair Okaruru, she lived most of her life presenting and identifying as female. At the time of her death, her Oregon ID listed her name as Lorenzo Okaruru with her gender marked as female.
📅 Timeline of Events – August 26, 2001
🕐 Early Morning Movements
On August 26, 2001, Loni was seen making several stops and interacting with people in northwest Oregon during the early morning hours.
🚨 Last Verified Sightings
She was observed near roads in Washington County and had contact with at least one police patrol before disappearing later that night.
😢 Discovery of the Body
Later that morning, a jogger discovered her body in a field off Southwest Farmington Road near Rood Bridge Road in Washington County, Oregon. Loni had been brutally beaten around the head — a cause of death consistent with blunt force trauma.
🧠 Investigation & Classification
🕵️♂️ Law Enforcement Response
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office classified the homicide as a hate crime, considering factors related to gender identity and violence against transgender people.
📂 Unsolved Cold Case
Decades later, no suspect has been charged, and the case remains unsolved. Detectives and cold case units still accept tips from the public, and the investigation continues into possible leads.
📌 Why This Case Matters
– Historical Significance: Loni’s death was one of the earliest recorded hate crime homicides against a transgender person in the county.
– Community Impact: The case highlights ongoing issues of violence against transgender individuals and the importance of awareness and advocacy.
📞 Call to Action
If you have information related to the Loni Kai Okaruru case, contact the Washington County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division at (503) 846-2500 and ask for Detective Shannon Wilde.
Top: A copy of a Just Out Magazine story about Loni Kai’s homicide, from September 7, 2001. Courtesy: Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
Bottom: A copy of a Just Out Magazine story about a vigil held for Loni Kai Okaruru, from September 21, 2001. Courtesy: Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
Top: A copy of a Just Out Magazine story about a vigil held for Loni Kai Okaruru, from September 21, 2001. Courtesy: Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
Bottom: A copy of a Just Out Magazine story about Loni Kai’s homicide, from September 7, 2001. Courtesy: Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
Top: A photo of TV Highway, near where Loni Kai Okaruru flagged down a Beaverton Police Department patrol car. This was the last known sighting of Loni Kai before her body was found. Photo by audiochuck staff
Bottom: Washington County Sheriff’s Detective Shannon Wilde, who’s investigating the Okaruru case, points to a map during her interview with audiochuck in October 2023. Photo taken in a Washington County Sheriff’s Office conference room by audiochuck staff
Loni Kai Okaruru’s body was found behind this row of hedges off of Farmington Road in Washington County, Oregon. Photo by audiochuck staff
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