A white supremacist couple has been indicted by a federal grand jury. The couple, from Portland, Oregon, was involved in a conspiracy that led them on an alleged robbery, theft, kidnapping and murder spree throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Friday’s unveiled indictment builds on the murder charges that already have been pressed in the killing of the father of David Pedersen and his stepmother. The couple’s alleged crime spree of 10 days was also traced and took place in Washington, Oregon and California. One of the two was allegedly quoted as saying it was a campaign to kill Jews.
The indictment alleges that horrendous crimes had been committed as part of a white supremacist campaign by the defendants to kidnap then murder their targets based on color, religion, race and perceived degenerate conduct. The U.S. Attorney for Oregon said the crimes not only victimized individuals along with their families, but also complete communities.
Pedersen had previously pled guilty to the Washington murders and was facing life behind bars, while Holly Ann Grigsby, his girlfriend is awaiting her trial on the same charges. The new indictment, said federal authorities, targets the first murders and the subsequent crimes committed by the couple after they left Everett, Washington. In their campaign, the couple allegedly targeted leaders of the Jewish community and prominent Jewish organization’s members.
Officials said that Pedersen targeted David Pedersen, his father, because he believed the elder Pedersen had molested his sister years earlier and Leslies Pedersen, his stepmother, because the suspect thought she knew of the abuse and did not act upon it.
