On the evening of November 15, 1996, 19-year-old Willie Banks Jr was shot and killed outside a neighborhood grocery near Northeast 15th Avenue and Prescott Street in Portland. He had gone into the store with his girlfriend and was walking back to the car around 8:30 p.m. when a man was standing at the passenger-side window speaking with the girlfriend. A brief, heated exchange followed and a single gunshot struck Banks; he was unarmed and collapsed beside the car.

Witnesses described the shooter as a Black male about 5 feet 11 inches and 165 pounds. Detectives later said the shooter was believed to be known to several people, but no one provided the cooperation needed to identify him. No arrests were made; authorities appealed for tips through Crime Stoppers and offered a cash reward for information leading to an arrest.

The case remains an unsolved killing that continues to appear on cold-case lists and memorial pages. If anyone knew Willie, saw activity near Northeast 15th Avenue and Prescott Street that night, or has information that could identify the man described by witnesses, please share what is known.