A convicted murderer from Oregon has been reinstated to Salem’s police oversight board after a closely contested vote by the city council, a decision that critics argue undermines public confidence and disregards law enforcement concerns regarding his violent past.

In a 5-4 decision on December 8, the Salem City Council reappointed 47-year-old Kyle Hedquist to the Community Police Review Board. Hedquist, who spent 27 years behind bars for the execution-style murder of a 19-year-old woman, was chosen despite a recommendation from the city’s appointments committee to leave the position vacant. This decision has stirred backlash from law enforcement officials who had previously criticized his early release as “shocking and irresponsible.”

This reappointment follows revelations that past board appointments did not involve background checks, raising questions about the process through which Hedquist’s criminal past was assessed.

On December 3, the Boards and Commissions Appointments Committee decided against reappointing Hedquist, highlighting Salem’s policy which mandates the consideration of criminal history in such decisions. Mayor Julie Hoy, along with Councilors Shane Matthews and Deanna Gwyn, emphasized that ignoring these standards could set a troubling precedent for future board appointments. Councilor Paul Tigan also voted against the reappointment.

Kyle Hedquist’s bid for reappointment to the Community Police Review Board comes amid controversy, particularly after he requested a police ride-along. His murder conviction was commuted by former Governor Kate Brown in 2022.

Matthews, who made the initial motion against returning Hedquist to the board, said the council should not override established vetting procedures.

Despite the committee’s recommendation, Councilor Mai Vang introduced an amendment to reappoint Hedquist. Vang said she asked the council to pull the appointments from the consent agenda because she questioned how the decision had been made to exclude him.

Vang defended Hedquist’s prior year of service, saying he has fulfilled his duties without issue and offers a perspective not represented elsewhere on the board.

Ward 6 City Councilor Mai Vang, left, speaks during a city council meeting in Loucks Auditorium at the Salem Public Library on Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in Salem, Ore. (Kevin Neri/Statesman Journal / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

“Kyle brings a perspective that most of us don’t have,” Vang wrote in a post on her official Facebook page. “As someone who’s been through the criminal justice system, he understands community safety from a different angle. He’s one voice among nine — he’s not running the show, but his experience matters.”

Addressing concerns about a twice-yearly police ride-along requirement for board members, Vang noted the city manager can waive the rule, and Hedquist is already ineligible due to his felony conviction.

“I believe people can change,” she added. “Kyle’s recent work shows he’s genuine about turning his life around and using his experience to help others. And honestly? If any of us needed a second chance, we’d want the same consideration.”

Hedquist was convicted of aggravated murder for killing 19-year-old Nikki Thrasher in 1995. Prosecutors said he feared Thrasher would report him for hiding stolen property, so he shot her in the head and dumped her body along a remote logging road. He was 18 at the time.

Former Oregon Gov. Kate Brown granted him clemency in 2022, making him eligible for release.

Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin issued a harsh statement in 2022 condemning Brown’s decision to release Hedquist.

In this March 16, 2020, file photo, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown speaks at a news conference in Portland, Ore. (Gillian Flaccus/AP Photo/ File)

“I am absolutely opposed to the Governor granting executive clemency to Kyle Hedquist,” Hanlin wrote, calling the murder “calculated, cold-blooded, execution-style.”

“Under his own admission, Hedquist said he killed Ms. Thrasher to eliminate the possibility of her turning him in to the police,” he added. “The executive clemency granted by Governor Brown in this case is shocking and irresponsible.”

Hanlin said Brown ignored opposition from multiple law enforcement leaders, including Douglas County District Attorney Richard Wesenberg, Marion County District Attorney Paige Clarkson, and Marion County Sheriff Joe Kast. The decision, he said, “rejects and diminishes the justice delivered in the name of Ms. Thrasher, her family and friends.”

The Salem city council hosts a meeting in Loucks Auditorium at the Salem Public Library on Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in Salem, Ore. (Kevin Neri/Statesman Journal / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Concerns from law enforcement resurfaced during the Salem council’s debate, with critics arguing that Hedquist should not hold an oversight role involving police accountability.

Councilor Shane Matthews, who opposed Hedquist’s reappointment, issued a strongly worded statement expressing concern for public safety, victims’ families and the credibility of the police review board itself.

“Selecting a man convicted of the premeditated murder of a foster girl to a board leadership position that oversees sworn police officers doesn’t serve the interest of public safety, and it threatens the legitimacy of the board altogether,” Matthews wrote in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

“With this particular board, the council is supposed to evaluate an applicant’s criminal record when making the decision. If one of the most egregious acts of aggravated homicide doesn’t disqualify someone from being in this role, what does?”

Matthews said he supports second chances in general, but argued that positions overseeing public safety demand higher standards.

“Positions on this board must be reserved for people with a record of impeccable character, not people who kill teenagers,” he said. “I’m also concerned about the message this appointment sends to victims of crime. I would imagine this could cause a lot of retraumatization for the victims who are searching for peace.”

Hedquist, who attended the meeting with his wife, thanked councilors for the vote and said he was encouraged by the broader discussion about representation on city boards, according to the Statesman Journal.

“It raised questions about who’s on these boards, how people are vetted, and whether they reflect a range of perspectives,” Hedquist said.

Supporters highlighted his work with the Oregon Justice Resource Center (OJRC) and his involvement in criminal justice reform as evidence of rehabilitation. 

The Oregon Justice Resource Center, where Hedquist works as a policy advocate, defended his continued service in Salem. In a statement to Fox News Digital, the organization said Hedquist is “driven to help improve Salem and contribute any way he can to his city,” adding that his work reflects a genuine commitment to strengthening the community.

“Kyle combines his life experience and his professional skills to advocate for progressive change,” the group said, arguing that communities are stronger when people with diverse backgrounds, including those who have been involved in the criminal justice system — participate in civic life. The organization noted that one in three Americans has some history of justice-system involvement.

“We all want people returning home from prison to be successful,” OJRC said. “Kyle is modeling that through his work and civic volunteering.”

However, opponents argued that appointing someone convicted of murder, particularly for oversight of law enforcement, undermines community confidence.

City Attorney Dan Atchison acknowledged gaps in the city’s appointment review system, the outlet reported, and said upgrades to the application software and background check procedures are expected next year.

Despite the controversy surrounding Hedquist’s role on the police review board, the council also approved his appointment to two additional bodies, including the Citizens Advisory Traffic Commission and the Civil Service Commission.

The nine-member Community Police Review Board meets quarterly to review certain complaints and provide civilian oversight of the Salem Police Department.

Fox News Digital reached out to Hedquist, Hoy, Atchison and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office for comment.

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.