Sources: Cannon murder case to be dismissed

UNDATED - A case against a man who spent almost a decade in prison for a triple murder he said he did not commit will be dropped, according to sources close to the case.

Those sources said prosecutors have already decided to dismiss the case against Scott Cannon who has been locked up since November 1998.

The sources said attorneys for Cannon and prosecutors discovered that physical evidence in the case was destroyed at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

On Wednesday a Marion County judge, who is now hearing the case, told prosecutors to find the lost evidence or release Cannon from jail.

Cannon was arrested just days after three people were shot to death at a trailer in rural Polk County near Salem. Cannon has maintained his innocence since his arrest.

A KATU investigation revealed problems with the testimony of a key witness who fingered Cannon as the killer. The investigation also showed that bullet lead analysis used to convict Cannon was flawed.

He was released from prison after a judge determined he was unfairly prosecuted, and he was sent back to the Polk County jail to face a new trial.

When Cannon’s son, Mathias, was told the news Thursday, he said he hopes to have his dad home for Christmas.

“It’s ironic that we’re hearing this all around Christmas time, because when this all first went down, the birthday wishes, the letters to Santa were all about getting my dad back,” Mathias said.

He was eight years old and a day shy of his ninth birthday when his father was arrested at gunpoint at the family’s Salem home in late November.

He said the holidays always remind him of his father’s arrest.

No official documents have yet been filed ordering Cannon’s release or dismissing the charges, but victims’ families said they were called and told by prosecutors the charges would be dismissed.

It’s still not clear when Cannon will be released from jail but sources said it could be on Friday.