Lyall was a student at the State University Of New York (SUNY) at Albany in 1998. She was employed at part time Babbages Software in the Crossgates Mall in Guilderland, New York at the time. Lyall left work at approximately 9:20 p.m. on March 2, 1998 and boarded a Capital District Transit Authority (CDTA) bus near the mall. She exited the bus at approximately 9:40 to 9:45 p.m. at the Collins Circle stop on the SUNY campus. She has never been seen again and there is no evidence that she ever arrived at her dormitory room. Lyall was carrying a black tote bag or backpack at the time she was last seen.

Lyall's work name tag was discovered in an area adjacent to the visitors' parking lot at SUNY shortly after her disappearance. The tag was located approximately 30 yards from the Collins Circle bus stop, but it is not known if Lyall lost the tag the night she disappeared.

One of Lyall's co-workers told authorities that she mentioned she was being stalked by an unidentified man before March 1998. The co-worker stated that Lyall did not appear to be frightened of the person. It is not known if this incident is related to Lyall's case.

Lyall's automated teller machine (ATM) card was used by an unidentified person on March 3, 1998, the day after her initial disappearance. The card was used at Stewart's Store on the corner of Manning Boulevard and Central Avenue in Albany at approximately 4:00 p.m. Authorities would like to question an African-American male who made a purchase at the business around the same time as Lyall's card was used in a transaction. A sketch of the unidentified possible witness is posted below this case summary. It is not known if he is connected to Lyall's case. He was wearing a mid-length Carhartt-style jacket and a dark-colored Nike baseball cap with the company logo imprinted on the front. Some agencies refer to this possible witness as "Nike Man."

Another SUNY-Albany student, Karen Wilson, disappeared in 1985, thirteen years prior to Lyall. Her disappearance remains unsolved. Authorities have not found anything to link the two cases, but they stated the circumstances of the women's disappearances were similar.

Lyall's case remains unsolved. She was raised in Ballston Spa, New York. She is described as a quiet woman who enjoys expressing herself through poetry. She is said to be very interested in computers and is an avid Rush fan.

Above: Sketch of possible witness

Left and Center: Rings possibly worn by Lyall;
Right: Necklace that Lyall may have worn on the night of her disappearance