Deaths of 4 women found in Oregon linked and person of interest identified, prosecutors say

Salem, Ore. — When the bodies of four women began appearing in wooded areas in northwest Oregon in February, police said the cases didn't appear to be connected. But on Monday, prosecutors dropped a bombshell, saying they are linked and "at least one person of interest" has been identified.

The state medical examiner hasn't determined the cause or manner of death of any of the women, prosecutors said in a statement.

But, in an about-face from a June 4 Portland Police Bureau statement that six deaths didn't seem connected, the Multnomah County District Attorney's office in Portland announced that investigators have concluded that four of them are.