More Than A Stat

[November 21st, 2007]

Charles Daniel Callaway became Portland’s 24th homicide victim of the year last Friday night when he was shot multiple times in his North Portland home, possibly after interrupting a burglary.

But Callaway’s 32 years of life had much deeper meaning than just that cold statistic for his family and many friends in Portland’s gay and medical communities, as well as in circles of fellow bike commuters and outdoor enthusiasts.

Callaway, who went by Dan, grew up in the tiny town of Philomath just west of Corvallis. His partner of move than eight years, Jonny Shultz, is a local fashion designer and agent at Q6 Talent. The couple had bought the two-bedroom ranch-style home in the Overlook neighborhood on North Montana Street a little more than a year ago.

Community involvement was important to Callaway, who worked as a cancer researcher in the oncology department of Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital and was fond of hitting Valentine’s or the Florida Room for a post-work pint.

Callaway believed he could make a difference. And if he couldn’t change the system, he could at least make light of it.

“He went to every neighborhood meeting,” says Shultz, who came home last Friday to find his partner unconscious and bleeding. “He was always writing our congressmen.”

The fact that Callaway’s 2000 white Subaru wagon was stolen the night he was slain (it was recovered the night after his murder) is ironic, given that he traversed Portland mostly by bike.

Anyone who knew Callaway remembers him as an avid outdoorsman and person who always enlivened a party. He was known to keep practical jokes going for years.

“We’re still in the early stages of the investigation,” says Portland police spokesman Sgt. Brian Schmautz. “We’re just beginning to process the car, beginning to look at how he became a victim.… If anyone in the public has anything to tell us, we would certainly like to hear it.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Jon Rhodes at 823-9320 or Detective Mark Slater at 823-9319.

Meanwhile, at 5:30 am Saturday, detectives investigating Callaway’s homicide got word of shots fired a few blocks away. Patricia Louise Andrews, 47, became Portland’s 25th homicide victim when she was found shot dead. Her brother, Ricky Andrews, was then found shot Sunday after talking with police, and is listed in critical condition.

As of press time, a total of five seemingly unrelated homicides have occurred within a mile of Callaway’s home in the past year.