An Oregon resident, Jason David Perillo, 52, has been sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty to second-degree murder. The Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office announced the verdict on Thursday. The charges were related to the brutal killing of Catherine Grace Crosse, 41, who was discovered lifeless in her RV in Wilsonville, Oregon, on the last day of 2024.
The prosecution revealed that Crosse was brutally assaulted, with around 30 stab wounds to her face and neck. Surveillance footage showed Perillo entering her RV and exiting two hours later. The investigation concluded that Crosse was alive when Perillo arrived at her RV.
When Crosse’s friend was unable to contact her, he requested another friend to check on her at the RV. The friend found Crosse’s lifeless body. The prosecution further revealed that Crosse and a companion were involved in selling small quantities of fentanyl and cocaine from the RV they shared, with Perillo being one of their customers.
On the day Crosse was found dead, Perillo visited the RV to buy drugs. He was seen on surveillance footage leaving the RV with several items. Among the items was a winning lottery ticket worth $400.05, which Crosse had mentioned in a text to a friend before her death. Crosse had also texted her friend about her plans to spend $6,750 in cash she had recently come into.
The prosecution stated that Perillo purchased a truck for $2,000 shortly after Crosse’s death and gave $1,000 to his wife. However, Perillo had no consistent or reliable income. The investigation revealed that Perillo cashed in Crosse’s lottery ticket four days after her murder.
Perillo was initially charged with first-degree murder and robbery, but these charges were dropped as part of his plea deal. On Thursday, Perillo received a life sentence with the possibility of parole after 25 years.