OR MARIA KILMER: Missing from Stayton, OR - 28 March 2026 - Age 28 (5 Viewers)

Salem woman missing after running out of gas along Highway 22

A person who was with Maria Kilmer, 28, told Oregon State Police she got in the car with someone who'd stopped at the scene, leaving her belongings behind.

www.kgw.com

Salem woman missing after running out of gas along Highway 22​

Police and family members are looking for a Salem woman who disappeared last week after running out of gas along Highway 22.

Maria Linda Jade Kilmer was picking someone up in Lyons and ran out of gas along Highway 22 on the way back to Salem, according to Oregon State Police. They stopped near milepost 15, just outside of Stayton.

The passenger who was with Kilmer told OSP that Kilmer left the car and got into the vehicle of an "unidentified motorist" who'd stopped at the scene. Kilmer left behind her keys, purse, ID and phone.

A family member told KGW that Kilmer had called for a pickup, even dropping a pin for her family to come get her. By the time they arrived, she was gone.

"Kilmer has not been seen or heard from since and has been entered into law enforcement databases as a missing person," OSP said.

https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2026/04/oregon-woman-ran-out-of-gas-accepted-a-ride-and-then-vanished-police-say.html

Oregon woman ran out of gas, accepted a ride and then vanished, police say​

Oregon State Police are searching for a 28-year-old Marion County woman who vanished after her car ran out of gas on Oregon 22 near milepost 15 on Saturday.

Maria Linda Jade Kilmer left her vehicle at approximately 9 p.m. while traveling to Salem from Lyons with a passenger.

According to the passenger, Kilmer departed with an unidentified motorist who stopped to help. She left behind her keys, purse, identification and phone.


Media - MARIA KILMER: Missing from Stayton, OR - 28 March 2026 - Age 28

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Soooo, she got into a car, with a stranger, and didn't take her cell phone or identification?
Her passenger didn't think to get the contact info, or make/model/plate of the vehicle that stopped?

 

[Kimster]

Soooo, she got into a car, with a stranger, and didn't take her cell phone or identification?
Her passenger didn't think to get the contact info, or make/model/plate of the vehicle that stopped?

Well, I was thinking that maybe she was with a friend and they stopped and somebody stopped to “help” them and she went over there and they said “get in the car” and then they just shut the door and took off? Before the friend that was riding with her could do anything?

I hope they figure this out soon because I know that highway, and I go up and down it once in a while and this is kind of freaking me out.

 

[Guess Who]

Soooo, she got into a car, with a stranger, and didn't take her cell phone or identification?
Her passenger didn't think to get the contact info, or make/model/plate of the vehicle that stopped?

How was she going to get gas without anything to purchase gas with?

 

[Kimster]

I was suspicious that she was even at that location, but it says she dropped a pin for her family to come there so I’m hoping it was a phone call and not a text.

 

[Guess Who]

I was suspicious that she was even at that location, but it says she dropped a pin for her family to come there so I’m hoping it was a phone call and not a text.

Generally even you drop a pin, it's in a text. Hopefully that happened after an actual call. It still makes no sense that she would leave all her methods to fix her problem and take off with a stranger. Not sure I'm buying that story.

 

[RoundPeg]

There are several gas stations off 22 at Stayton. My point being, at age 28 not that far to walk.

Any idea who this friend/passenger is? I'm wondering if she was actually in the car when it ran out of gas.

 

[RoundPeg]

I was suspicious that she was even at that location, but it says she dropped a pin for her family to come there so I’m hoping it was a phone call and not a text.

It's usually a text. You click on the pin and it opens up your maps app with directions right to your location.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

I saw her mom also post on Facebook that Maria texted her later that night.
From her phone...that was left in the car... ????
Unless she had it connected to imessage or something, that'd be pretty hard to do.

 

[Guess Who]

I saw her mom also post on Facebook that Maria texted her later that night.
From her phone...that was left in the car... ????
Unless she had it connected to imessage or something, that'd be pretty hard to do.

And wouldn't you especially make sure you take your phone if you are getting into a vehicle of an unknown person? How was she going to get gas? Yes, I'm looking at this "passenger" sideways.

 

[Kimster]

Something is hinky about the info released.

Another thing to consider, this highway is a major travel road, with people from all over the place going up and down it. The stranger danger really can be a "thing".

 

[Guess Who]

Something is hinky about the info released.

Another thing to consider, this highway is a major travel road, with people from all over the place going up and down it. The stranger danger really can be a "thing".

Which makes her leaving her phone and other stuff behind bother me so much.