Murder case settlement is not reached

By Terry Murry on Tuesday, January 31st, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

MORROW COUNTY – A settlement attempt in a murder case in Morrow County failed to reach a solution this month. Brett Ian Carson, 44, is charged with second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon in the 2021 shooting death of Donald Eugene Beal of Irrigon at the Oregon Trail RV Park.

Beal was a co-worker of Carson’s at the Amazon site in Morrow County. The two got into a dispute according to witnesses who said that Carson shot Beal and then left. Morrow County Sheriff’s Office deputies found Carson at his home, and he was arrested without incident.

The Oregon Department of Justice agreed to prosecute the case against Carson, due to the district attorney’s office being short staffed and the complexity of the case.

“They’ve been fantastic,” he said. “I definitely appreciate the work that Jay Hall has been doing.”

Nelson said the case will begin moving toward a trial in the near future.

“At the beginning of February there’s another status hearing and I think at that point that the court is going to start looking for possible trial dates and hearing dates,” he said.

MYCB file photo of Carson at the time of his arrest, taken before the state banned releasing mug shots to the media.