Ray Van Buren Jackson

Serial Killer

Ray Van Buren Jackson: Oregon's Suspected "Angel of Death"

Ray Van Buren Jackson was an Oregon schoolteacher, convicted forger, embezzler and suspected serial killer whose name became connected to a disturbing series of deaths during the early twentieth century. Although Jackson was never convicted of murder, historians have identified him as a possible participant in at least six suspicious deaths and several additional unsolved killings. The cases linked to Jackson occurred mainly in the isolated communities of Lake County and Harney County in central and eastern Oregon. Several victims were shot, poisoned or beaten beyond recognition. In multiple cases, Jackson was among the last people to see the victim alive, appeared at the crime scene, supplied important information to investigators or helped direct attention toward another suspect. Because the evidence against Jackson is circumstantial and the cases were never prosecuted, he should be described as a suspected serial killer rather than a proven one. Much of the theory surrounding him was developed decades later through research into historical newspapers, court files and local records.

Early Life and Criminal History

Ray Van Buren Jackson was born in Missouri in approximately 1869 or 1870 and grew up in Oregon. His family eventually lived near Sodaville, a small community in Linn County. Jackson received an education and earned a teaching certificate, but his professional life was repeatedly interrupted by criminal activity. Jackson was naturally left-handed. According to later accounts, his teachers forced him to learn to write with his right hand. As a result, he became skilled at writing with either hand and reportedly developed an unusual ability to imitate other people's handwriting. That talent later became useful in his acts of forgery. During the summer of 1895, Jackson witnessed the violent death of a favorite uncle in Oregon City. His uncle was driving a wagon when it collided with a train near Singer Hill. The horses were killed, and the train ran over the man's head while Jackson watched. Historians examining Jackson's life have suggested that this traumatic event may have contributed to his increasingly unstable and criminal behavior, although no psychological evaluation from the period exists. At about the same time, authorities began seeking Jackson for forging financial vouchers. He fled and continued teaching under difficult circumstances before he was captured. In 1896, he entered the Oregon State Penitentiary on forgery charges. He was released in 1898 but returned to prison after participating in a robbery in Baker County. By the time Jackson completed his prison sentences, he had acquired a criminal reputation across several parts of Oregon. He relocated to the remote settlement of Silver Lake, where fewer people knew about his past.

"Professor" Jackson in Silver Lake

Jackson became a schoolteacher in Silver Lake in approximately 1902. He taught children from the first through eighth grades and began calling himself "Professor Jackson," even though he was not a university professor and never taught at the college level. Former students remembered Jackson as a severe and frightening disciplinarian. He reportedly kept buggy whips in the classroom and struck older students with both the handles and the lashes. He carried a single-action Colt revolver and a baseball bat to school. In one incident, he allegedly threw a heavy glass inkwell at a student's head. One story described Jackson getting into a physical confrontation with a student. The following morning, he entered the classroom, placed a .45-caliber revolver on his desk and asked whether anyone wanted to continue the fight. No student accepted the challenge. Despite his criminal record and violent reputation, Jackson remained employed as a teacher for several years. In 1908, he was elected superintendent of schools for Lake County. His educational career ended after he was accused of embezzling school district money. He resigned in 1911 and later became involved in ranching, retail businesses and homesteading. ...

Confirmed Victims: (0)
Suspected Victims:

John Creed Conn , Date of Death: March 4, 1904

Zelma Martin Age: (11), Date of Death: April 1, 1904

Julius Wallende , Date of Death: December 27, 1907

Emma Dobkins , Date of Death: March 2, 1910

Harold Bradley , Date of Death: December 29, 1925

Ira Bradley , Date of Death: May 1, 1930

Schoolteacher Ray Jackson may have been a serial killer