Case Details
- Photo URLs:
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- Missing Since:
- Missing Since 08/01/1985
- Missing From:
- Missing From Deschutes County, Oregon
- Classification:
- Classification Endangered Missing
- Gender:
- Female
- Race:
- Race White
- Date of Birth:
- Date of Birth 01/05/1950 (75)
- Age:
- Age 35 years old
- Height and Weight:
- Height and Weight 5’0 – 5’1, 150 pounds
- Clothing/Jewelry Description:
- Distinguishing Characteristics:
- Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Payne’s nickname is Nikki. She may use the first name Carol or the last name Wagner. Her maiden name is Lung and her previous married name is Rittgens. Payne has crooked front teeth. She has surgical scars near her anus from a prolapsed colon as well as surgical scars on her abdomen from two Cesarean sections, a tubal ligation and a duodenal hematoma.
- Details of Disappearance:
- Payne disappeared in Oregon in August 1985. Because she moved around a lot and didn’t have a bank account or credit cards, the exact date is unknown. She usually contacted her family every few weeks, but they haven’t heard from her since. She’s lived in several states and worked various jobs. She had two kids and had been divorced twice.
Her ex-boyfriend, Joel Terrence Abbott, was convicted of her murder in 1993. Although initially charged with a more serious crime (aggravated murder), the charge was lowered because there wasn’t enough proof he kidnapped her. Abbott was violent towards women, had previously hurt Payne with a knife, and confessed to killing her to a friend (who was secretly recording him) and his ex-wife. He said he shot her with a rifle. Payne’s body has never been found, leading investigators to believe she was murdered.
- Agency:
- Deschutes County Sheriff’s Department
- Source Links:
This person was missing Missing Since 08/01/1985