CANYON CITY — A Grant County judge ruled on Nov. 6 that Gary Cavan, the man responsible for the brutal 2025 killing of 41-year-old Janelle Klaar, will spend the remainder of his life in the custody of the Oregon State Hospital.
The decision came following a stipulated facts trial in the Grant County Circuit Court, where Cavan, 43, was found guilty except for insanity regarding the death of his former girlfriend. The ruling concludes a harrowing legal saga that began on Feb. 28, 2025, when staff at the John Day Motel discovered Klaar’s body, sparking an intense regional manhunt that lasted nearly a week.
Cavan was eventually apprehended on March 5, 2025, at the old Sag’s Motel located outside Prairie City. He had been held in the Grant County Jail since his arrest, facing a litany of charges including second-degree murder, three counts of first-degree burglary, second-degree burglary, second-degree theft, and second-degree criminal mischief.
During the proceedings, the court reviewed psychiatric evaluations conducted by Dr. George P. Covrin and Dr. Alexander C. Duncan. These reports confirmed that Cavan suffers from a severe, qualifying mental delusional disorder characterized by persecutory themes. Based on this evidence, the court concluded that at the time of the killing, Cavan lacked the substantial capacity to appreciate the criminality of his actions or to conform his behavior to the requirements of the law.
“The court found that Cavan is affected by a qualifying mental delusional disorder,” the ruling stated. While the court noted that Cavan would have otherwise been convicted of the crimes charged, his mental state necessitated a verdict of guilty except for insanity.
Under the terms of the ruling, Cavan has been committed to the jurisdiction of the Psychiatric Security Review Board for life. He will be transferred to the Oregon State Hospital by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office once the facility provides notification that a space is available for his intake.
The investigation into the case also drew in two of Cavan’s associates, who were found to have assisted him during his brief time on the run. Cavan’s mother, Mickey Turner, and an accomplice, Richard Earl States, have both entered guilty pleas for hindering prosecution. Their involvement highlights the desperate measures taken to evade authorities in the days following Klaar’s death.
For the community of Canyon City and the family of Janelle Klaar, the court’s decision marks a somber, definitive end to a case that shocked the region. Cavan will now remain under permanent state psychiatric supervision, ensuring he is removed from society for the rest of his life.
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