Authorities Charge Man With Murder

Oregon auhorities have charged thirty-nine-year-old Joel Patrick Courtney with the murder of deceased Oregon student, Brooke Wilberger. Courtney is currently in an Albuquerque, N.M. jail, awaiting trial on charges that he allegedly kidnapped and sexually assaulted a student at the University of New Mexico last November.

Police say Courtney has lived in Alaska, New Mexico, Florida, and Oregon, where he served time after being convicted of sexual abuse and escape. Now, cops say on the day of Brooke's disappearance, Courtney was scheduled to be arraigned in Lincoln County Circuit Court for driving under the influence. According to authorities, Courtney called and left a phone message with the court saying he was in Corvallis and on his way to Newport. But cops say he never made it.

Green Dodge Minivan Sought In Wilberger Investigation

Investigators released information about a 1997 Green Dodge Caravan possibly connected to Brooke Wilberger's disappearance. The Oregon college student vanished from an apartment complex parking lot where she was living on May 24, 2004. Officials tried to track down information regarding a green minivan and a mysterious cell phone call made to police the day Brooke disappeared.

According to officials, someone named "Brian" made a 911 call from a cell phone the day Brooke disappeared regarding a speeding and recklessly driving green minivan in the Mid-Valley area. The connection with the phone was lost before the call was completed.

Police Issue A Call To Action

Investigators in Brooke Wilberger's case were calling for AMW viewers' help tracking down a replica of the sweatshirt she was wearing the day she disappeared. 

Police were looking for the navy blue FreshJive hoodie to perform a comparison of fibers and dye, though they weren't saying what prompted this new angle of their investigation. Investigators say they hit a dead end in their own search for a replica after they visited the sweatshirt manufacturer and learned the hoodie was discontinued in 2000.

Back in the summer, Oregon police reportedly had four "persons of interest" in Brooke's case, but have since then publicly discarded two of them.

On Sept. 21, 2009, authorities discovered Brooke's remains after Courtney took a plea deal and gave police directions to where her body could be found. 

Abducted In Broad Daylight

Police believe that Brooke was abducted on May 24, 2004, while cleaning outdoor lamp posts outside the Oak Park Apartments. She was visiting her sister and brother-in-law in Corvallis, who are residential managers of the complex.

When police arrived, they found signs of a possible struggle leading them to believe she may have been kidnapped. Her sandles were found askew near a bucket of water. Her purse, keys, and other personal items were left in her sister's apartment and her car was still in the parking lot. All this evidence together makes police believe she did not leave willingly.

Brooke had just completed her freshman year at Brigham Young University. She was a graduate of Elmira High School near Eugene, Oregon. Brooke is a devout Mormon, an honor student, an athlete, and described as very responsible, reliable, and likeable by her friends and family. She was last seen wearing a hooded sweatshirt, a gray Brigham Young T-shirt, dark blue jeans, small hoop earrings, possibly a silver watch, a ring with "CTR" engraved on it, and no shoes.

Associated Persons:

Joel Courtney
Oregon police have charged Joel Courtney with Brooke's murder
Fugitive
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