Police dont know if the killing of Amyjane Brandhagen, 19, of Pendleton, was a crime of passion or a random attack from a stranger, Pendleton Police Chief Stuart Roberts said Friday. And thats one reason why the agency has a number of officers working to solve the crime.

Brandhagen worked at the Travelodge, 411 S.W. Dorion Ave., across from the Pendleton City Hall, the Pendleton Public Library and the Vert Auditorium. The hotel manager called police at 3:19 p.m. Tuesday to report a female was either unconscious or dead in the bathroom of Room 231. Soon after Pendleton police and detectives from assisting agencies began the homicide investigation into her death.

Roberts said he understands the publics concern for safety, and he shares that concern. If the killing was a crime of passion, the risks to the community are low. If it was a stranger making a random attack, he said, thats a high public risk. But there just isnt enough information to say if a murderer is at large in Pendleton or even if people should be on the lookout for someone.

I wish I had that kind of information to put out there, he said. If we had information that was absolutely verifiable, we would put that out.

Roberts said this case has no smoking gun or other damning piece of evidence, and police havent found anyone who saw what happened. Investigators are verifying alibis of Brandhagens family and friends and of anyone near the crime scene Tuesday to whittle down the list of possible suspects. The list is long, Roberts said.

Investigators began by writing down names on a white board, but switched to a large sketch pad on an easel so they could flip the pages as they fill with names.

Investigators found that Brandhagen left the hotel during her day shift Tuesday. Officers have been on the hunt to find out where she may have gone, and who may have seen her. Police also are trying to obtain footage from video cameras from around the hotel that may show Brandhagen or anything suspicious.

With these cases, its baby steps, peeling the onion one layer at a time and being methodical to make sure you dont miss anything, he said.

Another case in question

Officers Friday began checking a possible lead, but one that Roberts described as really kind of bizarre because police havent been able to verify the incident. Justine Manning, 21, of Pendleton, claimed a man tried to push her into a hotel room at the Oxford Suites, 2400 S.W. Court Place, Pendleton, about a week before Brandhagens slaying.

Manning said she was working the night of Aug. 6, 7 or 8 at the front desk of the Oxford Suites when an American Indian man stumbled in and asked her to let him into his room.

She took him to Room 307, she said, slid the keycard, opened the door, but it stopped the inside latch was on. The tall man then shoved Manning into the door. She got away from him and warned him not to touch her, to get out, that she was going to call police.

He kept saying, You dont want to stay with night with me, she recalled.

Once behind the front desk again, she said, she called 9-1-1. While she was on the phone the man left through the lobby. A dispatcher told her she would ask Pendleton police to periodically keep an eye on the hotel that night.

Roberts questioned her story. He said 9-1-1 records each phone call, and shows no such call as Manning claims. On-duty officers hadnt heard of the incident. And Roberts said an Oxford Suites regional manager said video footage shows nothing to support Mannings story.

Pendleton Oxford Suites assistant general manager Val Parks referred questions to Kelly Martin, the hotel chain’s director of human resources in Bend. Martin sent this statement:

We can confirm we are currently looking into the situation. We do not have information at this time that safety of our employees or guests has been or is currently at risk. We are committed to ensuring the utmost safety for our employees and guests.

Manning said shes scared, and not even in Oregon. She said she quit her job Sunday and is now out of state.

I just dont want to be in town, she said. I dont know where this guy is.

Roberts said if Mannings story does check out, it may have nothing to do with the Brandhagen case. And if its a fabrication, he said it wouldnt be the first time someone sought police attention during a police investigation for no good reason.

Contact Phil Wright at pwright@eastoregonian.com or 541-966-0833.