Salem Reporter provides follow-up reporting on local criminal cases. Read last month’s coverage here. Man charged in attempted murder The original story: A Salem man was arrested last month in California as the suspect in an attempted murder investigation after a woman walked into the Kei zer Walgreens with stab wounds. Around eight hours after Salem police asked for help finding the man, Daniel R. Myers, 62, he was taken into custody by California Highway Patrol in Bakersfield, California. The latest: On Monday, March 23, Myers pleaded not guilty to the attack. He’s facing charges of attempted murder, assault, kidnapping, sexual abuse, unlawful use of a weapon, menacing and reckless endangering in Polk County Circuit Court. A statement supporting his arrest shows that the victim was a woman he knew previously and often worked DoorDash orders with. Myers is scheduled for a trial May 5, according to court records. Man charged with murder back in Oregon State Hospital The original story: In 2024, a Salem man was found dead in his apartment after firefighters responded to a report of a fire. Police arrested a California man in connection with the death of Kristopher D. Stokes, 38, which was described as “suspicious” at the time. Marion County prosecutors charged the man, David J. Alexander, 46, with second-degree murder and robbery. The latest: Last July, Marion County Circuit Court Judge Audrey Broyles ordered Alexander to complete treatment at the Oregon State Hospital, after finding him unfit to proceed in court. People who are unable to assist in their own legal defense are supposed to receive mental health care so they can understand their rights and participate in their case. After three months in the facility, Alexander was found fit and released from the hospital, but a psychiatric evaluation in March led to Alexander being ordered back to the hospital this week. He could stay at the facility for up to a year, the order said. November shooting sentencing The original story: An early morning domestic violence report in November sent a man to a local hospital with a gunshot wound to the face. Later that morning, Salem police officers arrested Sany Morales-Gabriel, who was booked into the Marion County Jail for first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and unrelated prior warrants. The latest: Morales-Gabriel pleaded guilty on March 12 to unlawful use of a firearm, and prosecutors dismissed the assault charge against him. Marion County Circuit Court Judge Sean Armstrong sentenced Morales-Gabriel that day to three years of probation, court records show. Dismissal of Salem barber’s charges stands The original story: Eron Griffin, a Salem barber, faced criminal charges in 2024 accusing him of sexually abusing two teenage boys in 2022, and a third years earlier. In February, Salem Reporter reported that a Marion County judge dismissed the charges against Griffin in December due to prosecutors’ failure to obtain key records in the case. The state then appealed the dismissal. The latest: The case was moved to the Oregon Court of Appeals in January, where it continued until Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Lloyd filed a motion to dismiss the case, saying the state no longer wanted to proceed in court. On March 9, Chief Judge Erin Lagesen granted the state’s motion. Contact reporter Madeleine Moore: [email protected]. Make Salem Reporter your trusted source for accurate, independent local news – every day. Stay informed and connected to your community. Subscribe today. The post Updates on attempted murder case, November shooting appeared first on Salem Reporter. ...read more read less