PORTLAND, Ore. — A 28-year-old woman who went missing in Portland's Old Town during the month of November has been found dead, according to the Portland Police Bureau (PBB).
Deputies with the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office found Wilma Acosta's body in the Willamette River near Cathedral Park. The county's medical examiner has not yet determined the cause of death, though authorities observed "no signs of foul play," according to a PBB statement.
Acosta's father, Martin, said in November that she had been out with friends the night of Saturday, Nov. 25. She was at the Dixie Tavern in Old Town and left the bar alone after 2 a.m. early the next morning. He said that later, on Sunday afternoon, Wilma's friends tracked the location of her phone three blocks away from the tavern to the Japanese American Historical Plaza along the Willamette River. They found her phone, but they didn't find Wilma.
Wilma had moved to Portland a few months ago after falling in love with the Pacific Northwest and accepting a job at Kaiser Permanente, according to her father. She was artistic and spent her free time in the kitchen learning to make new dishes that she could share with friends, he added.
The family is requesting privacy but shared the following statement:
“We first and foremost want to thank God for allowing us to find Wilma and letting us put her to rest. We would like to thank all of those who have been helpful to us during this incredibly difficult time: Portland Fire & Rescue’s Dive Team; Portland Police Bureau; the MMIW and MMI groups for their help and for treating us like family; Commissioner Rubio for opening her doors and giving our family a place to rest while we searched for Wilma; the faith community, including Pastor Robin Wisener; Honorary Consul for Guatemala Marta Guembes; and all those who walked with us and provided us with so much needed help.”
In December, PPB had said in a statement that despite over 100 hours of interviewing witnesses and looking through security footage, detectives did not suspect foul play.
"During her walk, it does not appear that Wilma engaged with any other people. Ultimately, PPB’s evidence shows Wilma leaving the bar by herself and arriving at the seawall by herself," the agency said.
Anyone with information about Wilma Acosta's disappearance is asked to contact PPB’s Missing Persons Unit at missing@police.portlandoregon.gov and reference case number 23-306375.
