David Ray Bartol, 45, was charged with Aggravated Murder for killing Gavin Siscel on June 4, 2013 at the Marion County Correctional Facility. Bartol and Siscel were both inmates at the facility when Bartol made a shank and stabbed Siscel to death while Siscel was watching television. The jury trial began in Marion County Circuit Court on October 3, 2016. On October 18, 2016, after approximately two weeks of testimony and evidence, the jury unanimously found Bartol guilty of Aggravated Murder. On October 19, 2016, the penalty phase proceeding commenced where the jury heard additional evidence from over 150 witnesses. The jury had the option of sentencing Bartol to death, life without the possibility of parole, or life with the possibility of parole after a minimum of 30 years in prison. The state sought a death sentence, which required the jury to answer “yes” to the following four questions: (1) Was the conduct of the defendant that caused the death of Gavin Siscel committed deliberately and with a reasonable probability that the death of Gavin Siscel or another would result? (2) Is there a probability that the defendant would commit criminal acts of violence that would constitute a continuing threat to society? (3) Was the conduct of the defendant in killing Gavin Siscel unreasonable in response to the provocation, if any, by Gavin Siscel? (4) Should the defendant receive a death sentence? On November 10, 2016, the jury of 9 women and 3 men unanimously sentenced Bartol to death. The death sentence required each juror to answer yes to 4 statutory questions listed above, resulting in 48 “yes” votes and 0 “no” votes. On November 15, 2016 a Judgment was signed sentencing David Ray Bartol to death. Under Oregon law, Bartol’s conviction and sentence of death are subject to automatic and direct review by the Oregon Supreme Court.
