Pooneh Gray, a Vancouver woman who garnered media attention for her efforts to reopen her mother’s 1989 murder case, is running for Vancouver City Council.
“I do think that I’m going to bring the same level of passion and focus that I did on my mom’s case, and do that for citizens of Vancouver,” said Gray, 57.
Gray is challenging incumbent Kim Harless, who is running for reelection for the Position 1 seat on the council.
If elected, Gray plans to use her background in mental health, housing and victim advocacy to tackle safety and social issues in Vancouver, she said.
1989 murder case
Gray investigated her mother’s case for decades in hopes of finding her mother’s killer and proving her father was innocent. Mike Entezari was convicted of killing his estranged wife, Effie Entezari.
Effie Entezari was shot and killed May 1, 1989, in the parking lot of her Vancouver apartment complex at 11614 N.E. 49th St., according to a news release from the Portland-based Markowitz Herbold law firm, which represents the family’s estate.
Mike Entezari was sentenced to 25 years in prison. He was released after 16 years for good behavior. He maintained his innocence until his death in 2019, the family said.
After Mike Entezari left prison, he twice sued Gray for allegedly refusing to return assets she held for him while in prison in the amount of $1.5 million. The lawsuits wound their way through court from 2007 to 2015. Gray said this was not true (most of his assets had gone to his defense and care) and that he faked promissory notes. Both cases were dismissed.
Gray took out online, social media and TV ads in 2024 calling for Clark County Prosecutor Tony Golik to reopen the murder case, to no avail.
She’s not running for Vancouver City Council to pressure Golik to reopen the case, she said. But she does want to see prosecutorial reform.
“I plan on being an advocate for victims … to ensure that there are safety measures in place to ensure that what happened to my parents doesn’t happen again,” Gray said.
Businesses
After obtaining a master’s degree in psychology, Gray went on to work for the state of Oregon, Yamhill County, Ore., and nonprofits providing mental health treatment, including therapy, she said.
She’s now a businesswoman, with nine total active businesses in Oregon and Washington in real estate management and development, according to state records.
But she’s not comfortable sharing the name of one in Oregon.
To keep the name and location of that business private, she requested an exemption from disclosing detailed financial affairs information covering the previous 12 months, which is generally required for people running for office in Washington.
In a Washington State Public Disclosure Commission meeting, Gray’s lawyer, Dan Brady, noted the civil case against Pell and said there was substantial risk to Gray if the exemption wasn’t granted.
“As part of that case, you see that not only do we have somebody who murdered her (mother) but a hit man and some sort of organized enterprise behind it, all of whom are still in the community,” Brady said.
Filling out the form completely would provide “a convenient inspiration and road map” to those at-large as Gray continues to pursue justice, he said.
The commission agreed to the exemption as long as Gray submits a sworn statement that her sources of income do not conduct business with the state of Washington, its subdivisions or the city of Vancouver.
In an interview with The Columbian, Gray explained that her business in Oregon partners with hospitals, nonprofits and the state of Oregon to place people with mental illnesses in transitional and rehabilitative housing owned by Gray. She worries for the safety of those individuals, she said.
But she did disclose her businesses in Washington, she said, which are also real estate related.
‘I really think I can help’
If elected, Gray wants to focus on making improvements to Vancouver’s homelessness crisis and safety.
Although she believes the city council is doing its best to address homelessness, Gray would encourage an individualized and rehabilitative approach to housing people by partnering with agencies to solve other issues they may face.
“That doesn’t mean that they’re going to be moving into their own apartment in five months, but it means that we start the process of getting them back on their feet and moving hopefully in the right direction by giving them the support systems they need,” she said.
After seeing firsthand how law enforcement in Clark County is overwhelmed and under-resourced, Gray wants to focus on making Vancouver safer.
“You don’t constantly have to pass levies or want more money to actually make things happen,” Gray said. “You just have to run more efficiently.”
Gray also plans on advocating for victims of crime.
She believes all her experiences growing up in Vancouver — including taking care of her little brother and working multiple jobs after her mother was murdered — would bring a unique perspective to city council.
“I really think I can help, and I think I can do it cost effectively,” Gray said.
Harless did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
