Police: Holt sexually assaulted then shot Heichel

GRESHAM, Ore. – A new court document explains for the first time what investigators say led up to the death of Whitney Heichel, the 21-year-old Gresham woman whose body was found last Friday.

The suspect in the case, Jonathan Holt, appeared in court on Monday afternoon, wiping away tears as he quietly answered questions from a judge.

According to a probable cause affidavit written by the officer who arrested Holt, Holt waited outside Heichel’s apartment on the morning of October 16 and asked her for a ride.

• Read the probable cause affidavit (Warning: graphic content)

Heichel, who knew Holt, obliged. About five minutes into the ride, police said Holt pulled out a handgun and forced Heichel to drive to Roslyn Lake in Clackamas County.

According to the affidavit from Officer Mary Nunn, Holt forced Heichel to perform oral sex on him, then shot and killed Heichel.

Nunn wrote that Holt dumped his phone at Roslyn Lake then drove Heichel’s body to Larch Mountain, where she was eventually found three days later on Friday evening.

Holt was charged with sodomy as well as murder, according to charging documents. He appeared by video monitor in a Clackamas County Court on Monday afternoon.

Holt answered the judge's questions during his arraignment, responding "yes" three times. He appeared to be crying throughout the court appearance.

State records also show that Holt was a certified emergency medical technician, although all three ambulance companies that serve the Portland area say Holt did not work for them.

The state is reviewing the status of Holt's EMT license in light of the criminal charges.

• More: Whitney's husband reflects on the murder of his wife

Court documents show Holt was also charged with kidnapping and robbery.

Medical Examiner Dr. Christopher Young said Heichel was shot four times, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit also states that Holt’s cell phone was found at Roslyn Lake and that DNA “consistent with the DNA profile of Mr. Holt” was found on the steering wheel of Heichel’s SUV.

Holt, 24, was a neighbor of Whitney Heichel and her husband, and attended the same church.

In an interview with ABC News, Whitney's husband Clint Heichel said he helped Holt jump-start his motorcycle recently and they looked after Holt's cats and plants when the Holts were away.

Holt was moved to the Clackamas County Jail on Sunday. He is expected to appear by video in court Monday at 3 p.m. to face aggravated murder charges.

• Read more stories about the Whitney Heichel case

On Monday, the Dutch Bros. coffee chain said they would donate half of their proceeds from sales in Gresham and Southeast Portland locations to the Heichel family so Whitney could be properly memorialized.

"Dutch Bros. of SE Portland is owned by Joe Brown, who says he knew the family and wants to try to help in any way he possibly can," a post from the company said. Whitney was an employee at rival Starbucks but her sister works at a Dutch Brothers location in Gresham.

Starbucks employees said they will donate their tips from the weekend to the Heichel family.

Another coffee vendor, Realtime Roasters in Gresham, where Whitney had applied to work, raised more than $1,500 for her family over the weekend.

"Us girls at Realtime have a special place in our hearts for Whitney and we wouldn't feel right if we weren't lending out a helping hand in some way. Our continued thoughts and deepest prayers are with her family during this time," employees said in a Facebook post on Saturday.

KATU News reporters Dan Tilkin, Bob Heye and Valerie Hurst contributed to this report