Authorities have not said what preceded the shooting that killed a 36-year-old mother as her family prepared for a summer vacation.

OREGON CITY, Ore. — An Oregon man was charged with first-degree manslaughter after he called 911 and reported that he had shot his wife inside their Clackamas County home, authorities said. Deputies detained Markus Warren Bowen, 35, and found 36-year-old Tara Jo Rae Deveny dead inside the residence shortly before midnight June 26.

The criminal charge began a court case that could determine how and why a long relationship ended in a fatal shooting. The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office has released only a limited account of what happened that night. Officials have not described any argument, identified a suspected motive or said whether Bowen made further statements after the 911 call. The agency said its detectives, crime scene investigators and the county medical examiner responded to the property, and it warned after the arrest that additional charges could be filed as the investigation continued.

Deputies were sent to the 22000 block of South Kamrath Road in an unincorporated part of Clackamas County after Bowen called emergency dispatchers, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The agency said Bowen reported that he had shot his wife. Deputies contacted him when they arrived and detained him without incident. They then entered the home and found Deveny dead. Authorities have not publicly released the complete recording or transcript of the call, a detailed timeline of the response, the medical examiner’s findings or information about the firearm involved.

Bowen was booked into the Clackamas County Jail and arraigned June 29 on one count of first-degree manslaughter. The charge is an allegation, and the available public reports do not show that he has been convicted. Early jail information listed bail at $500,000. Local reporting said he returned to court July 7 and had another appearance scheduled for July 30, but publicly accessible reports reviewed for this article did not establish the outcome of that hearing. Oregon’s official court-information system warns that court schedules can change, making a current docket the most reliable source for later proceedings.

The first-degree manslaughter charge is important because it states the legal theory prosecutors chose at the opening stage of the case, but it does not by itself explain the full circumstances of Deveny’s death. Authorities have not publicly said whether they believe the shooting was intentional, reckless or connected to any earlier dispute. They also have not announced whether investigators are reviewing prior calls to the home, messages, digital records or statements from other people. The Sheriff’s Office said only that its investigation remained active and that further charges were possible.

Family accounts add a painful contrast to the sparse official record. Deveny’s mother, Lori DeVeny, told local television stations that her daughter and Bowen had known each other since high school. Public social-media information cited by Law&Crime indicated the couple had been together for years and married in 2022. Those details describe the length of their relationship, but they do not establish what happened inside the home on June 26. Deveny’s mother said ordinary disagreements had not led her to expect an act of deadly violence.

The couple’s two children, reported to be ages 6 and 2, were at home when the shooting occurred, according to family statements cited by local news reports. No source reviewed for this article said either child was physically injured. Deveny’s mother said law-enforcement officers came to her after the shooting and asked her to retrieve the children. Authorities have not released details about what the children saw or heard, and responsible reporting does not require speculation about their experience. Their ages and identities make their privacy especially important as the criminal case moves forward.

Only weeks before Deveny’s death, the family had been preparing for a trip to Disneyland. Her mother said Deveny was excited about the vacation and had collected gift cards to use during the visit. The trip was expected to include Deveny, Bowen and their two children. The vacation detail became part of the family’s public account because it showed the plans Deveny was making for her daughters shortly before she died. It does not explain the shooting, and investigators have not suggested the planned trip was connected to the criminal case.

A fundraiser organized by Deveny’s sister described her as a devoted mother who worked to provide a stable life for her children. The campaign said the money would help cover funeral expenses and support the children as the family tried to restore some security to their lives. The fundraiser identified the children by first name, but this article is withholding those names because they are minors and are not accused of wrongdoing. Deveny’s mother was expected to take on their full-time care, according to the family’s early statements.

The family’s grief and the pending prosecution now proceed on separate tracks. Relatives have spoken about Deveny as a daughter, sister, friend and mother, while investigators and prosecutors must focus on admissible evidence. Comments from relatives can show the human cost of a death, but they cannot answer the legal questions before the court. Likewise, an arrest and charge do not establish guilt. Those distinctions are especially important when the government has released few details about the evidence supporting the manslaughter allegation.

Several central facts therefore remain unknown. Officials have not said how many shots were fired, where the firearm was recovered, whether anyone else witnessed the shooting or what Bowen told investigators after deputies arrived. No publicly reviewed document established whether he entered a plea, retained a particular attorney or challenged the conditions of his confinement. Authorities also have not disclosed a final charging decision beyond the initial manslaughter count. Any account that supplies those missing details without records would go beyond the verified information.

Future filings may provide a fuller chronology, describe the evidence and clarify the prosecution’s theory. Until then, the established record remains narrow: Bowen reported shooting his wife, deputies found Deveny dead, and prosecutors brought a first-degree manslaughter charge. Deveny’s two children are being cared for by relatives while the family mourns and the case continues in Clackamas County Circuit Court.

Author note: Last updated July 30, 2026.