Man sentenced to life in prison for fatal 2020 stabbing in Northeast Portland

A booking photo of Phillip Lawrence Nelson, June 19, 2020. (Multnomah County Sheriff's Office)

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A man was sentenced Friday to life in prison for stabbing two people to death in Northeast Portland in 2020.

Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Eric Dahlin sentenced Phillip Nelson, 42, to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 35 years, following an April 26 guilty verdict on murder charges in the second degree and manslaughter in the first degree.

The initial incident occurred in June 2020, when Nelson fatally stabbed Cassy Leaton and Najad “Nate” Hobbs, following an argument between the victims and Nelson. Leaton and Hobbs' roommate told the Portland Police Bureau that the group was thinking of renting an apartment on Northeast Davis Street in Nelson. However, the roommates changed the locks to their apartment when they discovered Nelson was actually a squatter living in the building, according to court records.

Nelson stabbed Leaton and Hobbs multiple times with a knife after they entered the basement of the building where the water control was located, according to court records. Leaton was taken to hospital, where she later died. Hobbs died instantly.

Nelson fled the scene of the stabbing and was arrested by PPB agents two days later.

Nelson's trial was held in Multnomah County Circuit Court from April 8-26.

Nelson is currently being held in Multnomah County and will be taken to the Oregon Department of Corrections to serve his sentence.