Cates was last seen in Maury County, Tennessee on April 11, 2004. She left her mother's home in the 2300 block of Tracy Lane with James Gordon, one of her friends, in a gold Mazda with the license plates number PFB-200. She was supposed to return in two days, but never did and has never been heard from again. When questioned about Cates's disappearance, Gordon said he'd left her with another friend, Ronald "California" Inzurriaga. Authorities have since located Inzurriaga in a federal prison in Alabama. He said he dropped Cates off in Columbia, Tennessee after she purchased hair dye, and he doesn't know what happened to her after that.

Cates was born in Spring Hill, Tennessee and lived in several states, then returned to Tennessee to live in a foster home. Her older half-sister, Brenda James, stated Cates had gotten involved with the wrong crowd and was drinking and occasionally using drugs. James became her legal guardian just a few days before she went missing.

Cates was originally considered to be a runaway, but the passage of time since her disappearance has lead investigators to consider whether other factors caused her to vanish. She has a driver's license, but there had been no infractions listed on her driving record. Her Social Security number has gone unused since 2004, and she hasn't used her cellular phone either. She may be in Georgia or Texas, or she may still be in the Maury County area. James believes Cates is deceased. Her case remains unsolved.