Stephen Forrest, 32, was fatally shot on September 2 while working at a 7-Eleven in downtown Eugene.
Courtesy of Amber Deyo
A Springfield, Oregon, man has been sentenced to life in prison for the killing of a convenience store employee.
Jaisi Tavin Savath, 22, shot and fatally wounded Stephen Forrest, 32, at a Eugene 7-Eleven on September 2 of last year.
According to a police affidavit, just before the shooting, there was an apparent dispute over a small purchase at the store that didn’t go through.
Describing security camera footage, Eugene Police Department Detective Cliff Sites wrote that Savath became upset and flipped a card reader, and the victim seemingly deployed pepper spray as the perpetrator exited the building. The shots were fired from outside.
In Lane County Circuit Court this week, Savath was convicted of second degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon, along with a weapons possession charge he’d pled guilty to. As part of his sentencing Friday, he won’t be allowed to seek parole for at least 25 years.
Last September, KLCC spoke with the victim’s mother, Amber Deyo, to learn more about his life and his memory. She said her son Stephen was a beautiful but often misunderstood person who had dreams of building affordable housing.