A runaway kid in Oregon was found guilty by a jury of killing and raping a 13-year-old girl after enticing her to his cabin in the woods, where he also kept a diary in which he declared his love for a fictional serial killer and a shrine to a horrorcore rapper.

Daniel Ryan Gore, 18, was convicted by the Washington County District Attorney’s Office of first-degree murder, rape, and sexual abuse in connection with the 2022 death of 13-year-old Milana Li. Gore was portrayed by the prosecution as a dishonest person who tricked Milana into thinking she was safe.

Milana was last seen on May 8, 2022, at approximately 7:45 p.m. After coming home from her midnight shift at work and finding she hadn’t shown up for school, her mother filed a missing person’s report the next day.

Some of Milana’s clothing was found when the mother and one of her daughter’s friends visited a nearby forested area in Beaverton, a Portland suburb. After they phoned the police, they started looking around.

Under a blanket, police found the girl’s body partially immersed in a creek. She had been choked. In Gore’s tent, investigators found the blanket’s packing.

Two days after the murder, Beaverton police followed Gore, who was sixteen at the time, to a library. Officers caught him after he tried to flee through an emergency exit.

Investigators later learned that the defendant called his ex-girlfriend the night of the murder to inform her that he had taken care of a critical situation.

The Oregonian newspaper reported in court that Gore fled his Salem home a few months before to the murder. Before he drove Milana to the woods for their terrible encounter, he and Milana made friends and spent the night in question traveling aimlessly on a bus.

Gore allegedly tried to create an alibi after the murder by texting Milana and going to a friend’s residence. He also disclosed to a number of people that earlier that evening, he and Milana had split up. However, surveillance video and cellphone data revealed that the pair had been together.

While processing the scene in and around Gore s tent, investigators reportedly discovered an ode to the rapper 7XVN, who is known for his horrorcore music that explores violent themes such as cannibalism. I Want to Eat Your Face is his most recent YouTube video.

Gore reportedly had symbols associated with the rapper etched into a tree, as well as a skull mask. Cops also reportedly discovered a diary containing the phrase I feel like Dexter, referring to the fictional TV serial killer from the Showtime series Dexter. Additionally, searches for sexual assault were conducted on his phone.

However, prosecutors claimed that his enjoyment of horrorcore rap did not motivate the killing.

It was his choice to take a vulnerable girl who trusted him and followed him into the woods to act out his fantasy, Senior Deputy District Attorney John Gerhard reportedly said during his closing argument.

Gore s attorney, J. Mark Lawrence, tried to instill a sense of reasonable doubt in the jurors by highlighting the fact that the police did not discover the victim s DNA on his client s clothing. Police found DNA from an unidentified male on her clothing and under one of her fingernails.

How could he possibly have raped and murdered her when there s not a cell of DNA evidence on his person? said Lawrence, according to reports. We know who the killer is we have his DNA we just have to find him.

However, the jury rejected the defense s arguments and returned a guilty verdict in less than 90 minutes, according to the Oregonian. The jury will sentence Gore on December 2.

The time of her death, the young girl s grandmother expressed her grief and remembered her life in comments to Portland CBS affiliate KOIN.

I never see her angry; she always smiled, OK, Grandma, OK, Grandma,’ Lydia Li said. Experiencing this pain is the only way to fully understand it. I don t want anyone to go through that.

Lydia Li told the TV station that her granddaughter recently experienced a growth spurt. Milana Li was so excited to have new clothes that she chose a single outfit consisting of a T-shirt and a pair of jeans. Her family, however, provided her with much more.

She passed away before she had the opportunity to wear these.

The victim left behind two siblings, including a younger sister.

Lydia Li told KOIN that Milana was like a second mom to her. She was taking care of her very well, and Milana was a responsible girl.

The victim attended Conestoga Middle School.

Beaverton police initially investigated Li s disappearance as a runaway case.

The murder of Milana Li is deeply distressing for her family, friends, and the entire community, according to a press release from the Washington County Juvenile Department. Our hearts go out to Milana s loved ones and everyone affected by her death.

When his victim died, Washington County reported that Gore was on probation with the Juvenile Department for a number of nonviolent offenses. These charges included Theft 2, Arson 2, and Criminal Mischief 2, the county reported.

The county said that a court released Gore on probation after a series of assessments. However, the county stated that officials opposed his release from custody.

It is these assessment findings, along with recommendations from the prosecution and the defense attorneys, that inform the court in setting the terms of probation, according to the press release.

For Daniel Gore, these conditions included returning him to his home under the supervision of his parents. The media reported that prosecutors in this case recommended detaining the juvenile instead of releasing him.

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