Brumley was last seen at her residence in Mansfield, Louisiana at approximately 8:30 p.m. on April 28, 1997. Authorities searched her home after she failed to report to work at DeSoto Sheriff's Office the following day. Investigators discoved that Brumley's front door had been pushed open, the screen door was cut, and the inside of the house was in disarray. Potted plants had spilled and furniture had been displaced. There was no sign of Brumley. Her purse and some clothing were missing from the home.

Investigators believe Brumley was taken against her will. She was employed for the Green Thumb program at the DeSoto Parish Sheriff's Department at the time of her disappearance. She was single and had lived alone for eighteen years, but dated multiple men. Brumley's case remains unsolved. She was declared legally dead in 2004.