Gary Otis Mason pleads guilty to Elgin double murder, faces life in prison

By Joe Hathaway on Monday, May 13th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News Northeastern Oregon Top Stories

UNION COUNTY – An Elgin man will likely spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty to a double homicide.

58-year-old Gary Otis Mason agreed to plead guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Candy Williams and a teen girl.

He was arrested on December 29, 2020, after law enforcement responded to a residence on Chumos Road in Elgin after a 911 call from Mason. There they found the bodies of Williams and the teen, who were both shot to death.

Mason is set to be sentenced Wednesday, May 29 at 9:00am. Both charges of first-degree murder carry a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years.

“He may receive a parole hearing after 30 years, but that is absolutely not a guarantee,” Union County District Attorney Kelsie McDaniel said in an email. “He is pleading to the crimes as charged—we did not dismiss or reduce anything.”

McDaniel said she would comment further on the case after the sentencing hearing.

Click here to read our previous coverage of this case.