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Salem family finds escaped inmate in their home

A resident noticed Mary Wisbey was near his basement in the middle of the night.
Credit: Marion County Sheriff's Office
Mary Wisbey

An escaped inmate is in custody after fleeing from police, breaking into a Salem home and being told by the family to leave.

Mary Wisbey, 29, of Salem, originally scheduled to be released June 8, is now back in jail on charges of attempting to elude police and trespassing.

Wisbey and Molly Terwilleger, 26, walked away from the Marion County transition center Friday night.

Wisbey, who was serving a sentence for a parole violation, was previously arrested on theft, methamphetamine possession and methamphetamine delivery charges.

A police officer attempted to pull over a woman matching Wisbey's description Monday for having expired insurance. When he flashed his lights, the woman accelerated down Commercial Street SE toward Hoyt Street. The officer terminated the pursuit due to the driver's speed and watched as she slowed down, stopped in the road and then fled east.

A witness told the officer a woman ditched her 1987 green Honda Accord and ran into a nearby neighborhood. Wisbey's Marion County inmate ID was found inside the abandoned car.

Officers and a K-9 unit searched the area, but lost track of her. Just before midnight, a resident on the 2100 block of Church Street SE reported that a woman was near his basement and activated his security lights.

A K-9 unit picked up on Wisbey's scent and followed it to Electric Avenue SE and Yew Street SE. Just then, a man called to report that he and his mother found a stranger in their home. The man told her to leave, and she fled the home. Police found Wisbey just down the street.

She was taken to Marion County jail and held on $25,000 bail.

Terwilleger remains at large.

Credit: Marion County Sheriff's Office
Molly Terwilleger

She is described as being 5-feet-2-inches and 200 lbs with brown hair and brown eyes.

Officials are asking anyone with information regarding her whereabouts to call the Marion County Sheriff's Office non-emergency number at 503-588-5032.

Callers can remain anonymous.

For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodwort@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-399-6884 or follow on Twitter @wmwoodworth

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