Updated 4:27 p.m.

Portland police on Thursday arrested three young teenagers in the death of a 65-year-old man shot and killed while collecting bottles and cans in St. Johns.

Ricky Malone Sr. died early Oct. 14 from a single shotgun blast to the chest at close range, according to police and a law enforcement source with knowledge of the investigation.

A blood-soaked paper bag filled with beverage containers was found beside Malone’s body in the 10200 block of North Mohawk Avenue, police and a witness said.

Authorities booked one 14-year-old and two 15-year-olds in the Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Center on one count of murder each, the Portland Police Bureau said in a news release.

Police did not disclose the gender of the suspects.

They are expected to appear Friday in Juvenile Court, according to the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, which declined to release additional information.

“Our family is overjoyed that we now have at least a piece of closure,” Robert Malone, the victim’s older brother, told The Oregonian/OregonLive. “The police — the detectives, the homicide unit — they did a wonderful job in such a short period of time.”

Robert Malone said he and his family grew up in North Portland and that Ricky Malone attended Roosevelt High School — about a mile from where he died nearly five decades later.

An athlete in high school, Ricky Malone would later go on to referee youth basketball games in the area through Portland Parks & Recreation, his brother said.

“It was one of his greatest enjoyments in life,” said Robert Malone.

John Phillips, who was driving his 16-year-old son to Bible study when they found Malone shot in the street, said he was disturbed to learn the age of the suspected killers.

“My heart goes out to their families," Phillips said. "Nobody expects something like this from one of their children.”

The arrests come as residents in the St. Johns neighborhood have reported a recent rash of assaults and property crimes by a group of teens, according to KOIN News.

Police also had been investigating whether Malone’s killing was connected to a reported home invasion that occurred within blocks from where he was fatally shot, the law enforcement source told The Oregonian/OregonLive last week.

Officers had responded to the 10200 block of North Midway Avenue after three people in Halloween masks entered a home around 3:45 a.m. on Oct. 14, dispatch records show. One of the suspected intruders had a shotgun, according to the dispatch report.

A resident confronted the three and chased them out of the house, the records show. Authorities believe Malone was shot a short time later, the law enforcement source said.

Sgt. Brad Yakots, a Portland police spokesman, would not comment on whether Malone’s death was linked to the other reported crimes in the neighborhood.

“All other details will be released by the Multnomah District Attorney’s Office when appropriate,” Yakots said.

-- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh; 503-294-7632

Email at skavanaugh@oregonian.com

Follow on Twitter @shanedkavanaugh

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