An Army veteran who served time for the killing of a commanding officer was arrested in the 1974 killing of two teenagers.
Washington County Sheriff’s Office officials announced on Friday that Steven Paul Criss, 65, had been arrested after more than 48 years.
Donny Bartron, 18, and Pete Zito, 16, were shot execution-style on October 3, 1974 outside a recreation center in Beaverton, Oregon.
“Both teenagers were shot multiple times in the head with a .22 caliber gun,” said Detective Mark Povolny.
Steven Paul Criss, 65, was arrested and charged with the 1974 murders of two teenagers
Peter Zito Jr. was allegedly shot and killed by Criss on October 3, 1974
Donny Bartron was working with Criss at the Black Angus restaurant in Hillsboro, Oregon at the time of his murder
Oregon law enforcement had divided Thursday that they would hold the live streaming press conference.
Officials didn’t share many details other than providing “an update” on the case.
At the time of filming, Bartron was working with Criss at Black Angus in Hillsboro, Oregon.
It was known that the two didn’t get along and even that Criss “had reason to be angry with Donny” before the teenager was shot.
The bodies of Bartron and Zito were discovered by a newspaper delivery man on October 4, 1974.
Bartron was working on a 1956 Oldsmobile when he was shot.
His body was found over the hood and Zito was found on the ground next to the driver’s side.
This was the car Bartron and Zito were working on when they were shot by Criss
According to Povolny, Criss and Bartron were known to not get along.
Two months after the men were killed, Criss was arrested for theft. During the arrest, officers discovered a .22 caliber handgun that belonged to the man.
Tests were conducted on the “illegally concealed” gun and later found it did not match the gun used in the teens’ murders.
Criss’ gun was returned to him once testing was complete.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office held a news conference Friday to announce the arrest of Criss in connection with the 1974 case
Law enforcement instead arrested Joseph Amir Wilson. The man, who has repeatedly denied involvement in the shooting, allegedly assaulted another person at the recreation center just hours before Bartron and Zito were shot dead.
Officials believed he may have killed the teens in a “misidentity” case.
The charges were later dropped.
“Detective Welch never believed that Joe Wilson was the killer, and he correctly identified Steve Criss as a suspect within weeks of the murders,” a spokesman for the sheriff’s office said Friday.
“His investigation in 1974 documented and preserved vital evidence,” the official said.
After being cleared, 17-year-old Criss joined the U.S. Army, bringing his .22 caliber handgun with him.
While serving at Fort Lewis Army Base, he shot his commanding officer, Sgt. Jacob Brown, five times in the head.
Criss shot Brown after damaging the sergeant’s car and refusing to pay for the damage.
Filming took place nearly two years after Bartron and Zito’s deaths.
Criss was originally sentenced to 35 years for Criss’s murder but only served 12 years.
The ballistics were repeated with the Criss gun used in the 1976 assassination of Sgt. Brown and found a positive match with the gun used in Bartron and Ziti’s deaths
The ballistics were repeated on the weapon used by Criss 1976 Sgt. Brown and later gave a positive match.
At this point, Criss was arrested and charged with double murder.
‘Mister. Criss was taken into custody using the same handcuffs used when he was arrested by deputies in December 1974,” Povolny said Friday.
Washington County police officials said they believe this is the “oldest known match” the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has ever confirmed.