True-crime writer sues for records in Kyron Horman disappearance
More than 16 years after 7-year-old Kyron Horman disappeared from his Portland school, a true-crime writer is suing…
More than 16 years after 7-year-old Kyron Horman disappeared from his Portland school, a true-crime writer is suing the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office for access to investigative records connected to the case.
Janine O’Neill Robben, a former journalist and prosecutor who now reports on true crime, filed the lawsuit Sept. 4.
The complaint centers on nearly 800 pages of investigative records that Robben says were so heavily redacted that they provided little information about the long-running investigation, according to reporting by the Oregonian.
The lawsuit is another recent development in a case that has received renewed attention in 2026, as Kyron’s disappearance is also being featured in a new Freeform and Hulu docuseries.
Why are investigators withholding the records?
Robben initially requested records from the case in March 2025. According to court records, officials told her that much of the material would likely be redacted because the investigation remains active.
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office also estimated that processing and redacting the requested records would cost more than $21,000.
Robben withdrew that request before submitting another in June 2026. She eventually received nearly 800 pages that had already been reviewed and redacted, but her lawsuit argues that the extent of those redactions effectively amounted to denying the request.
Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez told The Oregonian/OregonLive that releasing information that has not previously been made public could make it more difficult for investigators to verify new information and leads.
Why is Robben seeking the files?
Robben argues that the amount of public interest in Kyron’s disappearance, along with the taxpayer money and law enforcement resources devoted to the investigation, supports releasing more information about the case.
Court records also state that Robben plans to share the records with The Oregonian/OregonLive and KGW if her lawsuit is successful.
Kyron disappeared on June 4, 2010, after arriving at Skyline School in Portland. His disappearance led to a massive search involving more than 1,000 personnel, but the case remains unsolved.
The lawsuit comes months after the 16th anniversary of his disappearance as investigators continue to pursue new information in one of Oregon’s longest-running missing-child cases.
