Missing Since: 2010-04-20 Location: Chehalis, Washington
Croft-Payne lived in Chehalis, Washington at the time of her disappearance. She was unemployed and led a somewhat transient lifestyle. She was reported missing by a friend on May 5, 2010. The friend hadn’t heard from her since April 20, and the last time Croft-Payne accessed her MySpace account was on April 28. She has never been heard from again. Croft-Payne’s friend stated she battled drug addiction and had lost custody of her child because of it. She also said Croft-Payne associated with a man who had previously threatened her life. Because of her lifestyle, there was concern for her safety. She frequented areas in Lewis, Grays Harbor and Pierce counties in Washington. In November 2015, authorities announced they had reports from multiple witnesses that Croft-Payne had died of an accidental drug overdose in north Cowlitz County, Washington shortly after she was reported missing and her body was buried in a remote, heavily wooded area in Oregon. They stated they had identified the people they believed had disposed of her body, but they weren’t seeking charges against anyone in her death and only hoped to recover her remains to give her family closure. Her case remains unsolved. Investigating Agency Lewis County Sheriff’s Office OR 360-748-9286 360-740-1266 Source Information Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Washington State Missing Persons Search The Tacoma News Tribune Lewis County Sirens The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children NamUs KOIN 6 KGW Facebook Page for Kayla Croft-Payne Updated 6 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated September 21, 2018; six pictures added.