'Homicide by unspecified means': Clark County Medical Examiner gives cryptic update on burned body

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Clark County Medical Examiner has an update about human remains found in a burned car over the summer, an incident for which one man was previously arrested on murder charges. 

This past fall, Logan Melchert was charged with murder after he allegedly burned the human remains of 38-year-old Khalid Al-Hassan, whose identity was previously confirmed through dental records. 

The medical examiner has now determined Al-Hassan’s cause of death to be “homicide by unspecified means” and that the injury that was inflicted upon him happened outdoors. 

Al-Hassan was last known to be Melchert’s roommate in Vancouver. However, Al-Hassan went missing, with his last known contact with friends and family occurring in late July. In August, his remains were discovered in a burned Kia Soul owned by the estate of Melchert’s deceased father.

Melchert was previously held in custody at the Clark County Jail on charges of second-degree arson and unlawful disposal of human remains before being given the additional charge of second-degree murder for that same case in October.