Oregon Woman Vanishes After Accepting Ride from Stranger When Car Ran Out of Fuel
An Oregon woman has vanished under mysterious circumstances after her vehicle ran out of fuel in a rural area, prompting a desperate plea from her family for assistance in locating her. Maria Linda Jade Kilmer, aged 28, was last seen on Saturday evening after accepting a ride from a passing stranger, leaving behind her passenger and personal belongings.
Disappearance Details and Family Concerns
According to Oregon State Police, Kilmer was traveling from Lyons to Salem with a passenger when their car ran out of gas near Stayton on Highway 22, close to milepost 15, at approximately 9 p.m. Kilmer promptly contacted her stepmother and sister for help, sharing her location via her mobile phone to facilitate their arrival. However, when her family members reached the scene, Kilmer was nowhere to be found, leaving the passenger alone with the stranded vehicle.
The passenger, whose identity authorities have requested remain confidential, informed the family that Kilmer departed with an individual who had stopped to offer assistance. Notably, Kilmer abandoned her phone, wallet, keys, glasses, and medications at the site—items her relatives insist she would never typically leave behind.
"It doesn’t make any sense," expressed her sister, Jasmine Humeland, in an interview with Oregon Live on Thursday. "My sister’s not the kind of person to just leave somebody on the side of the road, and I don’t think she would have just gotten into a stranger’s car."
Suspicious Text Messages and Physical Description
Adding to the perplexity of the situation, Kilmer's stepmother, Amber Brecht, disclosed that she has received a series of text messages from unknown numbers purporting to be from Kilmer. However, the content and tone of these messages do not align with Kilmer's typical communication style, raising further alarms among family members.
"Something is not adding up," Brecht told KATU. "We realize something is wrong here. Something might have happened that she doesn't want to tell us about, which is fine, absolutely. We don't need to know what's happened. We just want to know that she is safe and alive."
Kilmer is described as standing 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing approximately 180 pounds, with dark hair, blue eyes, and a piercing in the center of her lower lip. Family members note that she often dresses in black and is known to frequent areas throughout the Willamette Valley, including Salem and Portland.
Family's Appeal and Contact Information
In a heartfelt appeal, Brecht emphasized that the family's primary concern is Kilmer's safety, not assigning blame. "We're not looking to blame anybody or anything," she stated. "We just would like to hear from our daughter and make sure that she's OK."
Authorities are urging anyone with information regarding Maria Linda Jade Kilmer's whereabouts to immediately call 911 or contact Oregon State Police. The investigation remains ongoing as officials and loved ones seek answers in this troubling disappearance.
