Missing Madras woman found safe, unaware of search

A Madras woman who became the subject of a search after she left home and had not been heard from in nearly three weeks was found in good condition Friday when an Oregon State Police trooper spotted and stopped her car in southern Malheur County, police said.

Police Chief Tanner Stanfill said the trooper, working out of the Ontario OSP office, was on patrol on U.S. Highway 95 near milepost 99 around noon when he saw Marilyn Sue Lancaster’s blue 2006 Subaru Outback and pulled her over.

The trooper had received a missing person bulletin about the missing woman that included the description of her car.

Lancaster’s roommate had called Madras police May 1, concerned her friend had not been heard from since April 29. She had left home with little clothing and left no note or information she would be leaving.

“Ms. Lancaster did not know she was listed as a missing person and had just wanted to get away for a while,” Stanfill said in a news release, adding that she “was in no danger and was of sound mind.”

“Ms. Lancaster said she was traveling home now and would contact her friends that she was okay and had just been traveling,” the police chief added.

Lancaster does not own a cellphone and had not checked her social media, so she was unaware that many people were concerned about her disappearance, Stanfill said.