Aaron White Charged With Second-Degree Murder After Allegedly Stabbing Mother

Marion County prosecutors charged Aaron White with second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon after the body of his mother, April Elaine White, 70, was discovered in their northeast Salem home. Authorities say the victim was found on her living room floor by her regular caregiver during a scheduled visit; investigators have treated the death as a homicide and arrested Aaron White in early February.

Police and court filings give a conflicting timeline: some documents and investigators say the killing occurred Jan. 28, while the caregiver discovered the body Jan. 30 at about 1:10 p.m. The house is on Dark Forest Place Northeast; some records list the 4600 block while others report the 4500 block. Officials say they relied on evidence processed with help from the Oregon State Police Crime Lab as they built the case.

Prosecutors say the death involved a stabbing, and the charges reflect that allegation. Defense lawyer Jacob Reynolds told the court there is no forensic evidence linking his client to the death and that Aaron White “did not confess to a crime in interviews with police,” adding, “That is the strength of their evidence.” The defendant also denied ever assaulting his mother to officers. At arraignment, David Wilson, speaking for the district attorney, read a victim impact statement that included the line, “I want him to stay behind bars for his whole life.”

The defendant’s name and age appear differently in official records: booking and several reports list him as Aaron J. White, age 43, while court filings identify him as Aaron Jewels Dee White, age 46. Court officials will need to confirm the legal name and age from docket and booking records. Judge Matthew L. Tracey ordered White held without bail, saying, “The nature of the allegations are concerning to the court.” White did not enter a plea and is next scheduled for a hearing at the Marion County Court Annex on Feb. 13 at 8:30 a.m.

Background details read in court included a string of prior convictions and contacts with police. Prosecutors listed prior convictions including “driving under the influence of intoxicants, assault, robbery, unlawful use of a weapon, felon in pursuit of a firearm and menacing.” Earlier local filings show White was charged with first-degree criminal mischief in February 2025 and was at one point found unfit to proceed and ordered to receive treatment at the Oregon State Hospital. Family members told officers they had previously witnessed violence: a brother said he once watched Aaron “physically attack” their mother several times, and police records note multiple prior contacts involving the family.

Police also investigated a separate body found near Wallace Marine Park the evening the caregiver discovered April White; investigators told the public these two cases “do not appear related, and based on known information at this time there does not appear to be an ongoing threat to the community.” For readers following the case, the next steps are confirmation of the medical examiner’s findings, release of the probable-cause affidavit, and upcoming court proceedings that will clarify evidence and charges. Keep checking the Marion County docket for filings and scheduled hearings as prosecutors and defense prepare for pretrial steps.