Lasseter - Dead of Night: The True Story of Oregons Most Shocking Killer

Don Lasseter

Copyright 2014 by Don Lasseter
Published by Crime Rant Books
Cover by Vixer Ching
Photo by Aksenovav | Dreamstime.com
All Rights Reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the authors.

D on Lasseter is a Southern California based author. He has written 20 books and appeared on numerous television true-crime documentaries. His books include:

• PROPERTY OF THE FOLSOM WOLF
• SAVAGE VENGEANCE
• GOING POSTAL
• DEAD OF NIGHT
• COLD STORAGE
• DIE FOR ME
• BODY DOUBLE
• THEIR DEEDS OF VALOR (ABOUT THE HEROIC DEEDS OF WWII FLYERS)
• PERFECT JUSTICE
• IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU NO ONE CAN
• MEET ME FOR MURDER
• YOU'LL NEVER FIND MY BODY
• HONEYMOON WITH A KILLER
• DEADLY DECEIT
• DATE WITH THE DEVIL

Recent E-books Include: ADVENTURE'S OF CALIFORNIA'S HANGING JUDGE; and THE NINE MEN HE SENT TO DEATH ROW.

E very author who writes nonfiction owes widespread debts of gratitude, particularly to the generous people who ease the long and tortuous path of research.

We are especially grateful to Sergeant Tom Robinson, Hillsboro Police Department, whose courtesy and good humor made it a pleasure to spend several days with him and his group of detectives. Captain Lila Ashenbrenner graciously made us feel welcome, unlike the intruders we really were. In the Washington County Sheriffs Office, Detective Michael OConnell took time out of his busy schedule to spend with us. And in the Cornelius PD, Sergeant Mark Christys help was indispensable.

Court records are a daunting mountain of material to sort, read and digest, and that task was made much easier by the exceptionally personable and efficient Kathy Meade. Pancho Hernandez came to our aid several times, along with Helen Floan. In the search warrants department, Janet Morris expedited the hunt for and reproduction of essential documents. Court reporter Nancy Walker also squeezed our needs into her jammed schedule.

Its a privilege to meet and share time with men like Chief Deputy DA Bob Hermann and DDA Roger Hanlon. Without their generous, intellectual, and entertaining help, this project wouldnt have made it.

Psychotherapist Saul Stolzberg answered our call for some expert assistance, and now were thinking about asking for some professional help from him. His couch looked inviting as we faced our deadline.

Michaela Hamilton, vice president, Dutton Signet, provided advice and encouragement while editorial assistant Laura Turley knew how to work out all the details. Our agent, Susan Crawford, pulled it all together.

There is a great deal of quoted material in this book, largely from trial transcripts, court records, police reports, videotapes, and interviews. It was necessary to re-create some small segments of the dialogue through the use of these resources.

To the best of our knowledge, all of the events in this book took place as we have reported them. It is a factual account of brutal crimes, involving some individuals who would prefer to keep their real identities confidential. To honor that and respect the privacy of others, we have assigned the following pseudonyms: Kathi Lockhart, Lynn Kramer, Sheila Hawkins, Brenda, Gloria Thomas, Greg Thomas, Heather Crane, Andy Tremaine, Ron Price, Denise Nichols, Ray Cardenas, Matilda Gardner, Sarah Ross, Troy Masters, Karen Masters, Dave Sparks, Wayne Fallon, Bruce Dowling, Carlos Romero, Norma Thorpe, George Demory, Frank Ellison, Tony Campbell, Doug Hunter, Pam Evans, Ashley Price, and Dora Vinson.

October 1991, Oregon

C atching babies, she called it. Martha Browning Bryants reputation put her at the other end of the spectrum from the childish, scatterbrained Prissy of Gone With the Wind, who proclaimed she didnt know nothin about birthin no babies. Martha knew everything about bringing fresh, innocent life into the world. At age forty-one, the free-spirited Bryant practiced as a nurse-midwife with grace, good humor, and the same vibrant dedication with which she traveled her lifes path. Marthas radiant grin, along with the calm faith reflected in her wide-set hazel eyes, acted as a tranquilizer for nervous expectant mothers. Skilled hands did the rest. A blend of holistic touch, psychological soothing, and expert application of delivery techniques made her one of the most requested birth coaches in Hillsboro, Oregon, a few miles west of Portland, the City of Roses.

Christina Jerome-Johnson, age nineteen, couldnt get comfortable on the delivery table in the birthing room of Tuality Community Hospital in Hillsboro. Shed put all of her faith in Healthy Start, a provider of maternity services and midwives for women with few alternatives. Christina, among the lucky ones who would be guided through the process by Martha, struggled through the perspiring, groaning throes of early labor, anxiously awaiting Marthas arrival.

Working feverishly over Christina, rookie midwife Michelle LaChance wanted to check the unborn babys heartbeat. Helped by a maternity nurse, she probed with a fetal scalp electrode but couldnt seem to make contact with the tiny head. They needed Martha.

Just after dark, on Thursday, October 8, 1992, Martha Bryant eased her 1966 green Volkswagen Bug, affectionately named Willy, into the hospital parking spot, killed the engine and headlights, pulled a colorful scarf tighter around her shoulders to ward off the autumn evening chill, and rushed inside. After quickly donning blue hospital scrubs, tucking her dark, shoulder-length curls into a cap, and sanitizing her hands, she entered the birthing room.

Both attendants and the patient, Christina, exhaled relief when they saw Martha stride confidently into the room.

Her expertise immediately produced results. With the same meticulous skill used by surgeons, she guided the probe to the precise spot and revealed a delightfully normal heartbeat in the tiny body nearly ready to make its debut. There should be no problems. For the next few hours, Martha and Michelle guided and soothed Christina, repositioning her for maximum comfort, and coaxed her to push and breathe properly. Shortly before 1:30 on Friday morning Christinas eight-pound baby girl exited the safety of mothers womb, and entered the dangerous world.

Sometimes, after an exhausting delivery, Martha would find an unused bed in the hospital and catch a few hours of sleep before heading home. But not this night. Too many exciting things beckoned over in Portland, where she lived. First, she anticipated spending some time with her husband before he left for work so they could put final touches on their anticipated Sunday trip a hundred miles west to the magical Pacific beaches. The remainder of Friday could be used for chores and a few hours of sleep later that night. On the next day, when the opalescent morning sun warmed the coral and yellow fall landscape, she and a few girlfriends planned a shopping spree at Portlands Saturday Market, the nations largest open-air display of arts and crafts for sale. Martha knew how to squeeze maximum enjoyment from every minute of life.

One final bit of business remained. Five blocks from the hospital, at about 2:40 A.M., Martha used her key to let herself into Healthy Start headquarters where she filled out her time card. Now she could relax and start the thirty-minute drive to her home in Portlands Eastmoreland section. There would be no traffic at this hour. The weirdos and drunks had surely faded into their lairs or passed out somewhere. A nearly full moon lighted the way. In Marthas optimistic world, danger lurked at some remote place elsewhere.