NWCN.com
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 9:14 AM
GRESHAM -- A woman has been reported missing in what Gresham police describe as a suspicious disappearance.
Whitney Heichel, 21, failed to show up for work at a Gresham Starbucks Tuesday morning and her co-workers said she has always been very punctual.
Her vehicle, a 1999 black Ford Explorer, was later found parked outside the Walmart store in Wood Village. Police towed it away as part of their investigation. (See missing woman poster at right.)
A family member told KGW several transactions were made on Heichel’s debit card, including at ATM machines and 3 different gas stations.
They said that gas station attendants at one of those locations -- a truck stop in Troutdale - remembered seeing her SUV and said Heichel was sitting in the passenger seat with a man driving. They said the man was acting suspicious and hurried, buying only a small amount if gas.
Police have not released any further details in the investigation.
Lt. Claudio Grandjean said there were about 30 friends, family, and members of her Jehovah's Witness church looking for Heichel on Tuesday afternoon and resuming Wednesday morning.
