Police say the suspect turned himself in after the late-night robbery shooting at a Plaid Pantry in Northeast Portland.

PORTLAND, Ore. — A 21-year-old man accused of shooting a convenience store clerk during a robbery over about $25 made his first court appearance after police said he surrendered and admitted the killing was not worth the money.

Authorities say Michale J. Paine is charged with first-degree murder, first-degree robbery and unlawful use of a weapon in the death of 57-year-old Ernesto Castellanos, who was working at a Plaid Pantry in Portland’s Cully neighborhood. The case drew quick public attention because police released images of an armed suspect within hours, then announced by Monday night that the suspect had turned himself in. Prosecutors have cast the killing as a blunt, pointless act of violence against a worker on duty.

According to Portland police, officers were sent to the Plaid Pantry at 6060 Northeast Columbia Boulevard at 11:48 p.m. on March 27 after a report of an unconscious person. They found Castellanos dead at the scene with what appeared to be a gunshot wound. Over the next day, investigators identified the victim, said the medical examiner had ruled the death a homicide and released surveillance images of the suspected shooter. By late Monday, police said, the man they had been seeking walked in and surrendered. In court filings described by local television outlets, investigators said Paine later told officers, “He only had $25 in the till,” after asking them whether they had ever made a mistake so bad they did not know what to do next.

The charging narrative described by police and local news outlets says Paine entered the store planning to rob it, moved around the shop, got a drink and waited at the counter before firing twice at Castellanos. Detectives said video showed the suspect then going behind the counter, touching the register and coin machine, kicking the victim, touching him near the shoulder and leaving. The medical examiner found Castellanos had been shot once in the chest and once in the neck, and either wound would have been fatal. KATU reported Paine pleaded not guilty at his Tuesday appearance. Police also said detectives recovered a gun they believe was used in the shooting. What remains unclear from the public record is whether prosecutors will add more detail about motive beyond robbery, or whether any mental health evaluation will become part of the case.

The victim’s death also put a spotlight on the risks faced by overnight store workers in a city where convenience stores often operate with small staffs and long hours. Portland police said Plaid Pantry offered a $5,000 reward while officers were still trying to identify the suspect. The bureau’s public description said the man was believed to be in his 20s to 30s, about 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds, and armed with a handgun. Law enforcement later said evidence left behind in the store helped tighten the case. Local reporting said fingerprints on a cup, along with clothing and a firearm recovered later, helped connect investigators to the suspect. Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez called Castellanos “an innocent, hardworking guy” and said his office was determined to seek justice in the killing.

The prosecution now moves into the ordinary but weighty steps that follow a murder arrest. Paine was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on the three announced charges, and a judge ordered him held without bond, according to the reports. His next court date was set for April 8. Oregon prosecutors can continue refining the case through additional filings, forensic testing and witness interviews as they prepare for future hearings. Defense lawyers, for their part, will have room to test the state’s timeline, the circumstances of the confession and the handling of physical evidence recovered after the surrender. No trial date had been announced in the public reports available this week.

Even at this early stage, the case has carried a stark emotional register. Vasquez told reporters the killing was especially heartbreaking because of how little money was involved. Plaid Pantry, in a statement carried by local television stations, called the shooting a senseless act of violence and said the company was continuing to support employees while cooperating with investigators. Police have released family photos of Castellanos, and the family asked for privacy as the case moved forward. The public image of the suspect also lingered: investigators said he wore a dark top with a Michael Myers image and the words “Here to crash the party,” a detail that made the surveillance stills widely recognizable as officers searched for him.

As of the latest public updates, the suspect is jailed, the charges are filed and the next major milestone is the April 8 court hearing in Multnomah County.

Author note: Last updated April 22, 2026.