Who was Tara Gordon?
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PORTLAND, Ore. - New details are emerging about a California woman who was found dead along Interstate 5 late last week.
The body of 25-year-old Tara Elizabeth Gordon of Redding, California, was discovered Friday morning.
The Oregon State Medical Examiner determined that she died from head trauma and investigators are looking into whether a crime was involved.
Meanwhile, her family in California is shedding light on who Gordon was. They told us the Tara Gordon they used to know was a carefree spirit who at one point had volunteered with the California Conservation Corps to restore trails and nature areas.
But they said in recent months she had gotten involved in drugs and was even arrested on a vandalism charge.
"She had some neck problems and she was on painkillers," said Betty Sutter, the woman's aunt. "And maybe that's what got her started on the drugs."
Sutter said Gordon was in the Eureka, California area last week.
"She had been over there visiting her sister but there had been some disagreement and her sister asked her to leave," Sutter said.
By Friday morning, Gordon's body was discovered 380 miles away, along the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 near the Woodburn outlet stores. She had no identification on her but investigators were able to determine who she was.
Gordon's uncle, John Sutter, said her family had done everything they could to help her.
"One bad choice led to another," he said.
Anyone with further information that can help investigators is asked to call the Oregon State Police.
We are all born with infinite possibilities; Life progresses as we make choices and ends with karmic reality. She started life as someoneâs beloved little girl; Hopefully the family has those memories to draw on.
"Â She had no identification on her but investigators were able to determine who she was."
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How is this possible? Is something missing here?
Finger prints and/or dental records to name a few possibilities.
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I told my wife last night when I saw this on the news that the second picture that she was a druggie. None the less, so sad.
It is extremely doubtful that she "volunteered" with the California Conservation Corp. The CCC takes in street type people in an effort to help them and to take care of nature trails, etc. They train druggies and offer them paying jobs. This young woman is undoubtedly not someone who would do something for charity. I also have trouble buying the back pain nonsense too.Â
 @Philip Marlowe actually she did and she was my friend for more than half my life.  I dont use and have children but who the hell are you to judge.  she did have neck problems and they started in high school.  It makes me sad that this world consist of judging people like yourself. You can sit and doubt this and that but did YOU personally know Tara or her life? No! She was a beautiful girl growing up and was so happy and full of life. I watched her mother bury her child yesterday.  I cant even explain how watching that feels considering i have two children myself.
@Philip Marlowe I guess her family does not know wnything about her, but you do. maybe you should get a job as areporter so you can just write the news without researching the facts. A family lost their child, niece, cousin. Try to have some compassion. I hope you never have to go through something like this yourself. Can you imagine how you would feel having someone like you judging you or your family member?
As a woman myself,stories like this always scare me,irregardless of her "lifestyle" It's still scary to know a killer is amongst us...
The article nor the police indicate that this was a homicide. It is not uncommon for persons with drug or alcohol problems to incur head trauma as an accident. Let the investigation run it's course. Condolences to the family and friends. It's a shame the way drugs become all consuming of a users life. Families too often enable the behavior out of compassion and love, and not being sure where to turn. Get info on what to do ASAP, and stick to your guns. And yes, it's harder to do than say, but you need to help them reach rock bottom. Hopefully it's a soft crash.
@Brownknight
Your assessment is more than plausible and more than likely.
Regardless of whether she was or was not a drug addict, or what she looked like, or whatever, she did NOT deserve to be KILLED!
At least the family is realistic about her situation and death. Sorry for your loss and appreciate your honesty.
Looks like another victim of the I-5 Killer.....
Faces of meth? she was from Redding, what a pit.
@deckardisareplicant
Donât worryâ¦Â The whole country will be a S-Hole soon if we continue to let the 3rd world immigrants from south of the border invade our country. More and more drain on state budgets to pay their rent, food, and delivering their litters of anchor babies. Â
@Savage_Speaks Ummmm don't see the connection enlighten us.
I don't like stereotypes, but serial-killer truck drivers are a local boogeyman that unfortunately has too much weight behind it. No, I don't know for sure that it was a truck driver, but the attraction for a person going a long distance on a major highway is that, those guys are too.
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A few years ago, another young woman's body was found not that far from the same area (on the southbound side), and I remember a friend of mine saying, "Everyone has somebody who is going to be sad to hear that they're dead". Mostly...yeah. Even if this woman's aunt and uncle don't sound too very put out about it, I'm sure that others are. (Even if it's just the person who pulled over and found her there, dumped on the side of the road.)
Idiot citizens worry about pot, coke and meth, etc., but it's Dr.s prescribing these painkillers that has started people on drugs more than anything else. It was reported in national media last week that there are more deaths/ovedoses on prescription opiates than coke, heroin, and meth COMBINED. And most of these deaths were ordinary, everyday people who were just taking their prescribed medication; had no idea they would end up "on drugs."Â
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 @Joel VanHalen That's not real nice, but, it's just as likely.
I'm not sure why she was on the road, but for this to be anybody's 15 minutes of fame is pretty crummy.
@Don_Keyshow : no its not nice. but i personally had nothing to do with it. and im tired of politically correct crap.  not screaming at you...just sayin. i mean every freakin day the news is full of people apoligizing for crap they said that they meant. why apoligize? because you might lose a vote...or a fan...or some money. im done with it. (well i have to wait to retire forst...lol)
 @Joel VanHalen  @Don_Keyshow Oh, I agree. I think the whole thing is sad, but like you said, it's not your fault. I also think that the idea of people pandering to an internet audience for approval is sick & sad. As for this young woman, she put herself in a bad spot, and now she's past the point of doing anything about that.
thanks for the article k-2. Now can you find out if we should be looking for a honda car that she may own with california license plates that may have her killer in it? the key on her key ring says honda so their must be a record of one.
Try not to judge her or her family. Until you have walked this road yourself as an addict or a loved one of an addict, you will never know the private hell the go through. you are constantly on guard waiting for a knock on the door or a phone call telling you that your loved one has died. Eventually, you listen to others whi have gone through it and do your best to disengage, both so the addict will hit bottom,q and to preserve your own sanity. This is an example of a sad end to a life that could have been so different. My prayers go out for this girl and her family.
@lisalu66
Well said.......
It wasn't mentioned how she got up here. Did she have her own car, friend, hitchhike? Very sad and strange scenario.
It's important sometimes to remember that the people who get messed up with alcohol and other drugs and die are someone's friend, sister, cousin, daughter... just people. And that there are those who cared about them. What a sad end for such a young person. Same age as my son. :(
If you cover up her eyes in the booking photo, she looks to be in her late 40s, not 25. My guess is these drug problems started WAY before her neck problems a few months ago. This looks like a girl that's lived hard. I hope the police are investigating it that way. Since her body was found in the northbound lanes, I tend to believe she was hitchhiking, was killed, and her body was dumped by a truck driver. Just my first thought.RIP Tara.Â
The family is not quoted as showing any loss or grief. I wonder how someone could drop that low in just a few months, and lose the love and caring of her family. I hope it's just the article that left out the emotion, and not that the family is that cold.
news flash: she was alive before she died according to her aunt.
@Caspertoo  Uh....yeah....she was last seen in the Eureka area. And I guess I don't understand your statement?
 @Bewitchin1 By pretending to quote the aunt on such an obvious fact, I think Caspertoo is making the point that the story lacks any meaningful detail, and was probably a little too paltry to bother to write. It would be like saying that the sun is going to rise tomorrow; it's so obvious that it doesn't need to be said, and they should have just waited until they had something more interesting to write.