Ruth Ellis
Staff Writer
3/18/2010

Friends and family are trying to locate a Westwood woman who was reported missing Tuesday, March 16.

The woman, Kristen Payne, 36, is 5'6" tall with green eyes and red hair past the shoulders. She has a tattoo of a Persian cat on her left shoulder and another tattoo, of an eagle, on her right leg.

Phil Shannon, the deputy with the Plumas County Sheriff's Office who took the initial report, confirmed an active missing person's case and said Payne has been missing for about a month. He said foul play is not suspected.

Shannon said Michael Turner, who lives in Greenville and was in a former relationship with Payne, reported the woman was missing after her mother and sister contacted him last Tuesday asking if he had seen or heard from her.

According to Shannon, Turner reported he and Payne broke up Wednesday, Jan. 6, which he said is the last time he saw her. Shannon said Payne's mother last talked to her at the beginning of January.

The information was given to the Lassen County Sheriff's Office for out-of-area assistance. Lassen County Sgt. Matt McFarland said a deputy responded to Payne's residence in an attempt to locate her, with no results.

Turner said he and Payne had moved to the area from Modesto last year, and she could be trying to return to that area as she had contacted some friends there about a month ago.

Anyone with any information about Payne or her whereabouts should call 911 or the PCSO at 283-6300.