PORTLAND — The Portland Police Department has seen a substantial breakthrough in cold case homicides, with another success story unfolding Tuesday as Shane Hall admitted to the 2008 killing of Frank Williams.
Hall, born September 15, 1987, entered a guilty plea to manslaughter charges for the stabbing death that occurred over a decade ago.
He received a sentence of 25 years in prison, but will serve 15 years with four years of probation following his release.
This marks the fourth cold case in Portland in which the police have secured charges and convictions in recent years.
Previous successes include the 2020 conviction in the 2016 homicide of David Anderson, the 2021 conviction for the 2011 murder of Allen MacLean, and the 2023 convictions of two individuals for the 2012 death of Matthew Blanchard.
In an effort to address these long-unsolved crimes, Portland police increased their dedicated cold case detectives from two to three.
Despite the challenges, they have made arrests in 25% of their cold cases in the past five years.
The department currently lists 12 unresolved cases, each actively investigated by the assigned detectives.
They urge the public to bring forward any information that might aid these ongoing investigations.
Citizens can contact detectives directly, call the department at (207) 874-8575, or text PPDME and their message to 847411.
Further details on the remaining cases can be found on the Portland Police Department’s website, which includes information on victims ranging from the 1985 homicide of Mary Ann Deragon to the 2017 death of Sunao Yamada.
In their quest for justice, the investigators remain determined to solve each case and provide closure for the victims’ families.
The community’s assistance is deemed crucial in piecing together the missing links in these tragic events.