Three people charged in connection with Medford homicide

19-year-old Gavin Curtis MacFarlane (left), Russell Pierce Jones II (right)

Update (10-04-17 5:00 p.m.) – Following an autopsy, police say Aaron Friar died as a result of blunt trauma to the head. The case is now officially considered a homicide.


Medford, Ore. – Police say a Medford dad was killed following an apparent dispute about a relationship between his minor daughter and a 19-year-old man.

On October 2 at 6:42 a.m. officers with the Medford Police Department conducted a welfare check at a home in the 500 block of Benson Street. There was evidence of a disturbance, but nobody was found at the home and the resident’s vehicle was missing, MPD said.

The vehicle was eventually found abandoned in the 100 block of Mariposa Terrace at 9:52 a.m.

An hour later, three people believed to be involved in the case were found walking on Barnett Road near Black Oak Drive. They were detained by police.

The investigation then led police to the 9100 block of East Antelope Road. At that location detectives found a man’s body appeared to have been dumped over a dirt embankment. The body was later identified as that of 50-year-old Aaron Friar, the resident of the home on Benson Street.

On October 3, police released further details about their investigation, including the names of the victim.

Police said they believe 19-year-old Gavin Curtis MacFarlane, 22-year-old Russell Pierce Jones II, and Friar’s 15-year-old daughter conspired to kill the girl’s father, Aaron Friar. The trio allegedly assaulted and killed Friar with a weapon while he was sleeping and stole his vehicle, using it to transport his body to where it was found dumped along the side of a rural road.

An investigation indicates MacFarlane was involved in a sexual relationship with Friar’s 15-year-old daughter, a situation that detectives believed caused “tension” between her and her father, police said.

Neighbors who live down the street from the Friars said Aaron was a very kind father to his three daughters. “Just to know that we’re not gonna see him anymore or anything like walking down the street with his daughters is really sad because like his daughters are really young and the oldest I think is like…  she goes to my school,” Sol and Kimberly said.

Gavin MacFarlane was lodged at the Jackson County Jail on charges of murder, robbery, tampering with evidence and third degree rape. Russell Jones was arrested for murder, robbery and tampering with evidence.

Friar’s 15-year-old daughter was lodged at the Jackson County Juvenile Detention Facility on charges of murder, robbery and tampering with evidence. While the identity of the girl was released by police, NBC5 News will not identify her until/if she is formally charged as an adult.

Police said the investigation is ongoing. They have not yet conclusively determined Mr. Friar’s cause of death.

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