Account
Jul 06, 2012
Jan 08, 2024
Irin
Meyer
74
29
62 inches
130 lbs
White / Caucasian
Female
In the summer of 1979, a 29-year-old woman from St. Louis, Missouri, named Irin Maria Meyer was on an extended trip visiting friends and her sister on the West Coast. She had recently quit her job and given up her apartment to travel. Her journey brought her to the scenic southern coast of Oregon, where on July 19, she set up camp for a couple of nights at Harris Beach State Park with her cat. On July 20, 1979, Irin was last seen during the day, with conflicting accounts placing her either at her campsite or at a local grocery store, McKay's Market, in the nearby town of Brookings. She purchased some groceries and cat food at the market, but what happened after that transaction remains a mystery. When she failed to check out of her campsite, park staff discovered her tent with her personal belongings still inside. Her cat was also found, zipped inside her sleeping bag and nearly starved. The initial discovery of her abandoned campsite was deeply concerning, as friends and family knew it was uncharacteristic of her to leave her beloved cat without arranging for its care. The search for Irin began, and on July 29, a significant piece of evidence was located. Her vehicle, a 1972 green American Motors Gremlin with Missouri license plate BBR220, was found abandoned in the parking lot of Whaleshead Beach State Park, approximately five miles north of where she was camping. Inside the car were the newly purchased groceries, adding another layer of mystery to her disappearance. Irin was described as a white female with long brown hair and green eyes, standing at 5 feet 2 inches and weighing around 130 pounds. She had scars on her knee and a light brown birthmark below her left shoulder. When she was last seen, she may have been wearing a brown imitation leather coat, blue jeans, boots, and a scarf over her head. She also had several distinctive accessories, including a large silver ring and a rectangular keyring with the word "Boss" on it. Despite the discovery of her campsite and car, the investigation conducted by the Curry County Sheriff's Office failed to produce any significant leads that could explain her sudden disappearance. At the time, one theory floated by police was that she may have accidentally fallen from one of the coastal cliffs and been washed out to sea, but no evidence ever emerged to support this conclusion. The case grew cold, leaving her family with unanswered questions and a profound sense of loss. The overview of the case is that of a young woman who vanished without a trace while on a solo journey, leaving behind perplexing clues but no clear answers. The scene at her campsite, particularly her cat being left alone, along with her car being found miles away with groceries inside, points to an abrupt and likely unplanned departure. Decades have passed, but the case of Irin Meyer remains an unsolved and haunting mystery on the Oregon coast.
Jul 20, 1979
Brookings
Oregon
Curry County
97415
No
11953
Curry County Sheriff's Office
Gold Beach
Oregon
Curry County
97444
Robert Rector
Undersheriff
94235 Moore Street, Suite 311, Oregon
5412473276
County
Law Enforcement
79-C-2631
1979-07-30
Curry County Sheriff's Office
Brown
Green
Green
05/27/2026
