Ernesto Castellanos, 57, was working a late shift as a clerk at the Plaid Pantry at 6060 Northeast Columbia Boulevard in Portland’s Cully Neighborhood when he was killed on March 27, 2026. Police arrived shortly before midnight after a caller reported an unconscious person and found Castellanos deceased from gunshot wounds to his chest and the back of his neck; the medical examiner ruled the death a homicide by gunshot.

Surveillance images showed a Caucasian male in his 20s or 30s. Plaid Pantry offered a $5,000 reward for information, and the Monday after the shooting a 21-year-old Portland man, Michale J. Paine, turned himself in. Court documents say Paine confessed to robbing the store and shooting Castellanos, telling investigators he was under the influence of alcohol and cannabis and that he shot the clerk after the till hesitated, taking about $25. Authorities recovered the firearm believed to have been used and charged Paine with Murder in the First Degree, Robbery in the First Degree, and Unlawful Use of a Weapon; he pleaded not guilty at his initial appearance.

Does anyone have information about Castellanos, the store, or the events that night that could help clarify what happened?