Bradley Kelley, a 35-year-old White male and lifelong resident of Salem, Oregon, was remembered for his big booming voice, contagious laugh, and penchant for big bear hugs. Known to friends and family as “Brad,” he was a devoted husband to his wife, Amy, and a father to three children. A tow truck driver who worked tirelessly to support his family, he loved fishing, camping, barbequing, and NASCAR. His kind heart and jovial spirit left a lasting impact on those who knew him.
On the evening of May 6, 2019, Kelley and his best friend, 35-year-old Michael Buntjer, were helping a friend, Coral Olfert, at her home in the 3600 block of Joshua Avenue Northeast in Salem. An altercation arose when Olfert’s former boyfriend, Keonte Caldwell, arrived and allegedly threatened the group with a knife.
After Kelley and Buntjer chased him away, Caldwell returned with his brother, Curtis Welch, and a gun.
Marion County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched for a shooting at about 10:15 p.m. and arrived to find a tragic scene. Kelley was deceased, having been shot at least six times. Buntjer had been shot at least five times and was rushed to a local hospital, where he later died. Olfert, 26, was also shot but survived with non-life-threatening injuries; she was pregnant at the time and subsequently lost her unborn child. The Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office later confirmed that both Kelley and Buntjer died from gunshot wounds, ruling their deaths as homicides.
Less than 24 hours after the shooting, authorities located and arrested Keonte Caldwell, then 23, and Curtis Welch, then 26, in the Roseburg area. Both men, who were from the Salem area and known to the victims, were initially charged with two counts of aggravated murder and one count of attempted murder. They were ordered to be held without bail.
In February 2022, a Marion County jury convicted Curtis Welch of two counts of first-degree manslaughter for the deaths of Kelley and Buntjer, acquitting him of an attempted murder charge. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Five months later, in July 2022, Keonte Caldwell accepted a plea agreement. He pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree manslaughter and unlawful use of a weapon and was also sentenced to 20 years in prison, with the sentences for each death to be served back-to-back.
