A Man Stole The Wedding Ring And Backpack Of One Of The Portland Train Stabbing Attack Victims

Police apprehended a suspect who stole the items from Ricky Best after he was killed while trying to stop a white supremacist's racist vitriol against two women on a train.

Police on Friday arrested a man suspected of stealing the wedding ring and a bag of a dying man who confronted a racist abuser on a Portland train.

Authorities on Friday apprehended George Elwood Tschaggeny, 51, for stealing Ricky Best's belongings from the MAX train after Best was fatally attacked while trying to intervene when a man — identified as 35-year-old Jeremy Christian — shouted hate speech at two young women.

Another man, 23-year-old Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche, was also killed in the attack. Christian is facing charges of aggravated murder.

Authorities said they believe that Tschaggeny removed Best's ring from his finger after the attack. The 51-year-old man was wearing Best's ring at the time of his arrest, police said.

He was charged with theft, tampering with physical evidence, and abuse of a corpse in the second degree. He will be arraigned on Monday.

Best — a 53-year-old city employee, Army veteran, and father of four — was heading home to his children in Happy Valley when he was killed.

Police said that the stolen backpack contained "personal items important to the Best family."

After asking for the public's help in locating the suspect, Portland police tweeted on Friday that they had caught the man.

Surveillance video showed a white male with a blonde hair mullet leaving the MAX train carrying Best's backpack.

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The man was wearing a black Jordan Brand baseball cap, a black t-shirt featuring an image of Marilyn Monroe and an American flag, black shorts, and black shoes.

Tschaggeny was seen carrying another backpack in his left hand but police did not know if it was his.

Best served 23 years in the military and was a former candidate for Clackamas County commissioner.

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