Suspect Named In Slaying Of Lesbian Couple Police Seeking Man In California But Evidence, Motive Not Released

Detectives armed with an arrest warrant were in California on Tuesday searching for a suspect in the slayings last week of a lesbian couple who were bound and shot to death.

Robert James Acremant, 27, of Tulare County, Calif., is wanted on aggravated murder charges in the deaths of Roxanne Ellis, 53, and Michelle Abdill, 42.

Medford Police Chief Ray Shipley said a telephone tip, confirmed through physical evidence, put detectives on Acremant’s trail. He declined to discuss the nature of the evidence.

“We hope to catch this guy and get him into custody in short order,” District Attorney Mark Huddleston said.

The killings alarmed the gay community, which feared the slayings may have been a hate crime. The women were domestic partners, ran a property management business together and had spoken out against efforts to limit gay rights in Oregon.

Two statewide ballot measures to limit gay rights were defeated by Oregon voters last year. The latest won a majority in Jackson County, where the women were slain.

Shipley declined to comment about motive.

Dan Abdill, Michelle Abdill’s brother, said he hoped the identification of the suspect would shed some light on why his sister was killed.

Family members were informed by police about the break in the case.

The women disappeared Dec. 4, after Ellis left for an appointment to show a rental apartment to a prospective tenant. Their bodies were found Thursday in the back of Ellis’ pickup.

Acremant was described as a 5-foot-8 white man, weighing 150 pounds, with brown and gray hair and hazel eyes.