The suspect in the Plaid Pantry shooting turned himself in after officers released images and sought help from the public, police say.
PORTLAND, Ore. — A homicide investigation that began with a late-night call to a Northeast Portland convenience store unfolded over four days into a public search, a surrender and a murder case over what investigators say was a robbery for about $25.
Police say Ernesto Castellanos, 57, was killed while working at a Plaid Pantry in the Cully neighborhood, and that 21-year-old Michale J. Paine later turned himself in and was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree robbery and unlawful use of a weapon. The story has developed in distinct phases: the discovery of the body, the urgent request for public help, the suspect’s surrender and the first court hearing. Together, those steps have given the case an unusually visible timeline for such an early point in a prosecution.
The first phase began at 11:48 p.m. on Friday, March 27, when Portland officers responded to the store at 6060 Northeast Columbia Boulevard after a report of an unconscious person. Officers found an adult man dead at the scene with what appeared to be a gunshot wound, and homicide detectives took over. By the next update, police had identified the victim as Castellanos and said the medical examiner ruled the death a homicide. That same release showed how quickly investigators moved from processing the scene to seeking outside help. Police distributed family-provided photos of Castellanos, announced that Plaid Pantry was offering a $5,000 reward and issued a warning that the still-unidentified suspect was armed and dangerous.
The second phase centered on recognition. Police released surveillance video and still images of a man they said had been at the store. They described him as a white man in his 20s to 30s, about 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds, wearing a black knit beanie, black sweatshirt, blue jeans and black shoes, and carrying a handgun. The clothing details made the images memorable, especially the top investigators later said showed Michael Myers and the phrase “Here to crash the party.” Law enforcement often depends on plain public visibility in the first days after a violent crime, and this case appeared to follow that pattern. The suspect’s image spread through local television and digital news before police announced any arrest.
The third phase arrived Monday night, when the search ended not with a chase but with a surrender. Portland police said the suspect turned himself in to officers, and later identified him as Paine. From there, the account shifted from public alert to probable cause. News outlets reporting from court documents said Paine called 911 because he wanted to turn himself in, then began talking during transport. Investigators alleged he said he had gone to the store to rob it, that the clerk did not appear to believe he would actually do it and that he shot Castellanos twice. He also allegedly said the clerk had only $25 in the till and that what he did was not worth that amount. Police said detectives later recovered the gun they believe was used in the shooting.
The fourth phase moved into court and public accountability. KATU reported Paine appeared Tuesday, pleaded not guilty and was held without bond, with another hearing set for April 8. Prosecutors publicly framed the killing in severe terms. District Attorney Nathan Vasquez said Castellanos was an innocent, hardworking man killed in his place of business and described the act as sickening and brutal. In a separate statement reported by local television, Plaid Pantry thanked law enforcement and said it was continuing to support employees as the case progressed. By then, the initial uncertainty of the weekend had given way to a more settled public record: named victim, named suspect, announced charges and a defined court schedule.
Some important questions remain open even with that timeline in place. Public releases do not say whether the victim knew the suspect, whether additional witnesses were inside or near the store, or how much more forensic testing may still be pending. Reports on the affidavit say the suspect was captured on surveillance touching multiple surfaces, drinking from a cup and moving behind the register after the shooting, details that may gain significance as prosecutors disclose more evidence. The case is no longer in the urgent search stage, but it is still far from final resolution.
The sequence has reached its next pause point with the suspect jailed and an April 8 hearing set as the next public marker in the case.
Author note: Last updated April 22, 2026.