Missing Since: 1985-08-01 Location: None, Oregon
Payne was last seen in Deschutes County, Oregon sometime in August 1985. She was a drifter without a fixed address, a bank account or any credit cards, so the exact date of her disappearance is unclear. However, she usually called her family at least once every month or two. She hasn’t used her Social Security number, made any financial transactions or had any encounters with the police since 1985. Payne was born in Duluth, Minnesota and has lived in Iowa, Illinois and California as well as Oregon. She has prior work experience as a waitress, sales associate, bartender and dog groomer. She has two children and is twice divorced. Joel Terrence Abbott was convicted of Payne’s murder in 1993 and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. He was initially convicted of aggravated murder, but the judge reduced the charge to intentional murder because he decided there was insufficient evidence that Abbott had kidnapped Payne, and kidnapping was necessary to sustain the aggravated murder charge. Abbott was Payne’s former boyfriend. People who knew him testified he had a violent temper around women, and he had previously assaulted Payne with a knife. A friend of Abbott’s who was a police informant secretly recorded him saying he’d shot Payne in the back and the head with a high-powered rifle. He told the same story to his ex-wife. Prosecutors believe he “went to great lengths” to conceal Payne’s body, which has never been found. Foul play is suspected in her case due to the circumstances involved. Investigating Agency Deschutes County Sheriff’s Department Source Information The Bend Bulletin The Corvallis Gazette-Times Official Cold Case Investigations NamUs The Statesman Journal Updated 3 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated July 1, 2017; details of disappearance updated.