A Portland man has been sentenced to half a century in prison for numerous crimes committed agains this former intimate partner, with whom he shares a child.
Michael Panarites, 40, was found guilty in February of multiple charges, including attempted murder, solicitation of murder, stalking, unlawful possession of firearms, unlawful use of GPS devices, harassment, criminal mischief, coercion, assault, and first-degree rape and sodomy.
Panarites Placed Tracking Devices on Victim's Car, Hired a Private Investigator
Panarites was accused of physically, sexually and psychologically abusing the victim from Dec. 2020 until his arrest on May 29, 2023, as reported by KATU.
After the victim ran away from their home in July 2022 and obtained a restraining order, Panarites continued to stalk her, hiring a private investigator and placing tracking devices on her car. When police confronted Panarites, he fled and crossed state lines.
Panarites Sought His Parents' Help in Killing Victim, Her Mother
His behavior escalated as he solicited his parents to assist in killing her and her mother. He also acquired stolen firearms and other weapons during that time.
In May of 2023, Portland Police stopped his car and found stolen license plates, more than 100 rounds of ammunition, a machete, an axe, a crossbow, bolts and a handcuff key among loaded firearms and other weapons. Police documented these items as tools Panarites intended to use for murder.
On May 8, 2025, a Multnomah County judge sentenced Panarites to 50 years in prison. The judge cited two primary reasons for agreeing with the state's recommended sentence: the long, continuous course of conduct that terrorized the victim in multiple ways, and Panarites' persistent harassment despite numerous court orders.
Multnomah County Deputy District Attorneys Kenzie Ludwig and Reid Schweitzer prosecuted the case. Ludwig expressed gratitude to the survivor, saying, "I'm forever grateful to the survivor for trusting us to handle the case against her abuser. This sentence not only reflects the severity of his conduct, but it also serves a greater purpose of keeping her, her loved ones, and the community safe from his criminal behavior."
