Tinze was last seen at her home on October 27, 1984 in Hillsborough County, Florida. She was planning on driving to the laundromat at the time. She has never been heard from again. Tinze's vehicle was located in a local parking lot later during the day. Two weeks later, her purse was found in the men's bathroom in a campground in Hillsborough County; only her keys were missing. There was no sign of Tinze at the scene.

Investigators believe Tinze may have been murdered by the serial killer Robert Joseph "Bobby Joe" Long, who was convicted of multiple murders and is currently on death row. A photo of him is posted below this case summary. Long admitted to murdering ten Florida women during an eight-month period in 1984. but he has denied any involvement in Tinze's case and has never been charged in connection with it.

Fathering Magazine published an online article regarding The National Center For Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and Tinze's disappearance in 2000. The report repeated a hoax that took place in the early 1990s revolving around Tinze's case. A woman from Arkansas claimed that she was Tinze and that she ran away from her Florida home in 1984 to escape problems in her marriage. The story was fabricated, but several media outlets published the claims. Tinze's case continues to remain open and unsolved. She married at fifteen and had two children by the time of her disappearance.

Some agencies state that Tinze disappeared from Tampa, Florida or that she was last seen in a tavern.

Above: Bobby Joe Long