An Oregon teen charged with killing a 13-year-old will likely not face charges as an adult, according to what experts told the Oregonian.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Milana Li, 13, was reported missing on May 9, 2022, and initially thought to be a runaway. Beavertown police said her body was found on May 10, 2022, in a small stream in Westside Linear Park near Barrows Park, less than a mile from her home.
A medical examiner ruled Li’s death a homicide, and police subsequently arrested 17-year-old Daniel Ryan Gore. Court documents indicate that Gore has a criminal history dating to 2020.
Last year, prosecutors said they intended to try him as an adult on a first-degree murder charge. Now, following a week-long testimony in June, Gore will likely avoid adult court.
In the past, defendants aged 15 to 17 facing “Measure 11” crimes (which includes murder and rape) were automatically tried as an adult. However, 2019 juvenile justice reforms ruled that prosecutors must now request a hearing where a judge determines whether the case should be transferred to adult court.
The purpose of this law is to help minors stay in the juvenile judicial system, which focuses more on rehabilitation while imposing shorter sentences.
Milana’s family pleaded last week with Washington County Circuit Judge Erik Buchér to transfer Gore’s trial to adult court, emphasizing the horrific nature of Li’s death and their belief that Gore posed a threat to the public.
Court documents indicated that Milana had been strangled to death and raped. Her body had scrapes and bruises and was hidden in a blanket and weighed down under a log, submerged in water. Investigators said a swab confirmed that the victim had been raped by Gore.
Police said Milana was found near a tent that Gore had been in living at the time.
“The thought of Milana’s last moments is enough to drive us to madness,” Li’s mother, Assel Li, said in a victim impact statement. “The thought of Daniel Gore being released in a few years fills me with fear for the safety of my family and society at large.”
Gore going to adult court, according to forensic evaluator and physiologist, Adam Coffey, will probably not happen.
The judge must assess whether the defendant had “adequate maturity and sophistication” during the time of the alleged crime, Coffey told the Oregonian.
The judge must then evaluate which jurisdiction would be the most appropriate for the well-being of the defendant, including the teen’s receptiveness to rehabilitation and treatment, and any potential threat he may pose to the public.
The judge will also take into account various factors outlined in the statute, which include violent or premeditated nature and the teen’s physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
A psychologist testified last week that Gore had “some executive functioning issues going on” and had a “low average” memory. He was also said to be “lagging behind for a couple of years in his cognitive development.”
Last year, Gore pleaded not guilty to all charges, which include two counts of murder, rape, sexual abuse, and abuse of a corpse.
Buchér plans to make a decision within three weeks. Check back for updates.
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[Feature Photo: Milana Li/Beaverton Police Department]
