Michale J. Paine, 21, of Oregon, is accused of murdering 57‑year‑old convenience store clerk Ernesto Castellanos during a late‑night robbery at a Plaid Pantry in Portland’s Cully neighborhood on March 27, 2026. Paine has been charged with first‑degree murder, first‑degree robbery, and unlawful use of a weapon and is being held without bond.
What led to the killing
Police responded to the store just before midnight after a report of an “unconscious person” and found Castellanos dead from an apparent gunshot. The medical examiner later ruled the death a homicide. Surveillance video captured the suspect entering the store, getting a drink, waiting at the counter, and then shooting Castellanos twice—once in the chest and once in the neck, either of which would have been fatal. The suspect was wearing a distinctive black hoodie featuring the “Halloween” character Michael Myers with the words “Here to crash the party!”
Investigators say Paine later admitted he went into the store intending to rob it. When Castellanos did not seem to take the threat seriously, Paine shot him, took money from the register, and then left the scene. Surveillance shows him walking behind the counter, touching the cash register and coin machine, kicking the victim, and then fleeing.
Police interview and confession
Paine turned himself in by calling 911 and telling officers he wanted to surrender. During the ride to jail, he reportedly said, “Have you ever f—ed up in your life so bad, you don’t know what to do after?” and added that Castellanos “only had $25 in the till” and that the killing “was not worth $25,” later saying his actions “should not be worth anything.” Police identified him through fingerprints on a cup and later recovered a firearm and clothing linked to the shooting.
Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez called the killing a “sickening, brutal act,” stressing that Castellanos was an innocent, hardworking man gunned down while doing his job. Paine made his first court appearance on Tuesday and is scheduled to return to court on April 8, 2026.
