Vigil held Sunday for missing Lowell woman

LOWELL, Mass. — A vigil was held on Sunday for Kim Kelly-Oberhauser, a Lowell woman who has been missing since January 18. Dozens of friends and family gathered at the UMass-Lowell boathouse to light candles and share memories.

“I want to get a reward going so we can find her and bring her home,” said Jane Kelly Rood, Kelly-Oberhauser’s cousin.

Those in attendance called for Lowell Police to do more in their investigation.

Kelly-Oberhauser’s Range Rover was found submerged in the Merrimack River just four days after he disappearance, but she was not inside. Investigators ruled that there were no signs of foul play.

“I think that we need more effort on everyone’s part to find her,” said Jackie Smith, a friend. “Then tell us [if] she did this to herself or not, but don’t tell us that now because we don’t even have a body.”

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Kelly-Oberhauser had recently separated from her husband at the time of her disappearance and moved into an apartment complex close to where her vehicle was found.

“Folks that have spoken with her last said she was very, very optimistic. She met a couple of new girlfriends in her apartment and she was in a good place,” said friend Lynn Smith.

Those who knew her best described Kelly-Oberhauser as an avid tennis and golf player, and a loving mother to her son.

“It’s terrible not knowing. That’s really the hardest part is not knowing where she is,” said friend Linda Williamson.

On Sunday, the Lowell Police Department told Boston 25 News that they conducted a thorough and comprehensive investigation that remains ongoing.

Lowell Police Superintendent Raymond Kelly Richardson released the following statement:

“First I would like the Oberhauser family and friends of Kelly-Oberhauser to know that finding her is a priority for this department and our state partners. Losing a loved one is life’s toughest challenge, not being able to put her to rest makes it insufferable. This is why it remains a priority and will remain a priority until she is returned to her family.”

Cox Media Group