- Talon Gabriel Mitchell was sentenced to 20 years for the fatal shooting of his wife, Oulaykham Mona Chopheng, after claiming to be trapped in a dream.
- The incident took place on February 23, 2023, in Beaverton, Oregon, prompting police response due to reported disturbances.
- Mitchell, who was 19 at the time, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and unlawful use of a weapon.
BEAVERTON, Ore. — An Oregon man who claimed he was trapped in a dream when he fatally shot his wife of only a few weeks has been sentenced to two decades in a state correctional facility.
Washington County Circuit Judge Theodore Sims handed down the 20-year sentence on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. Talon Gabriel Mitchell, who was 19 at the time of the 2023 slaying, pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree manslaughter with a firearm and one count of unlawful use of a weapon.
The Shooting and Bizarre 911 Texts
The fatal incident occurred on February 23, 2023, at an apartment complex in Beaverton. Police responded to a welfare check after neighbors reported hearing a woman sobbing and a man speaking in "short, abrupt sentences."
Upon arrival, officers discovered Oulaykham Mona Chopheng deceased on a couch with a gunshot wound to the face. Mitchell was found at the scene with blood on his shoes. Investigators later revealed that Mitchell had contacted emergency services himself via text message, sending a series of frantic and incoherent pleas:
"HELP, IM STUCK IN A DREAM"
"I'm being controlled"
"Insanity"
The LSD Defense
Mitchell told investigators that he had ingested LSD the morning of the shooting and claimed to have "blacked out." He alleged that when he "woke up" later that evening near the front door, he saw his wife’s body and believed he was witnessing a "zombie apocalypse" or a bad dream.
While Mitchell maintained he had no memory of firing the weapon, detectives found sufficient evidence to prove he was responsible for the killing. The plea deal allowed him to avoid a trial that had been scheduled for late March.
Sentence Details
Under the terms of the sentencing, Mitchell is required to serve the first 10 years of his 20-year term in full. The remaining 10 years may be reduced based on good behavior within the prison system. The judge also noted that there would be no post-prison supervision following the completion of his sentence.
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