Heather was last seen in Portland, Oregon on March 8, 2008. She had stayed out all night with friends before returning home to her husband of four years, Brian Cole, and their toddler son at 7:30 a.m. Heather had an argument with Brian at 10:30 a.m. and left their apartment. Her car, a bright red 2001 Ford Focus, was seen driving away from her apartment complex in the 11800 block of southeast Raymond Street, but it's unclear who was operating it. Photographs of Mallory-Cole's vehicle and license plate are posted below this case summary. It has Oregon license plates numbered 061BZX, a black bicycle rack on the roof, and a child safety seat in the backseat. Heather has never been heard from again. Two weeks after her disappearance, her car was found abandoned at an unknown location.

Heather and Brian's marriage was rocky, with many arguments. Heather had filed a restraining order against Brian in October 2006, saying he had hit her and she feared for her life. The couple later reconciled, however, and the restraining order was dismissed. A photograph of Brian is posted below this case summary. He took his son and moved in with relatives in Idaho shortly after Heather's disappearance. In May 2008, he took a polygraph about Heather's disappearance and failed. That same month, police executed a search warrant on the apartment the family had shared. They confiscated a computer, paperwork and Brian's truck. Brian is reportedly considered a person of interest in his wife's disappearance, but he hasn't been officially named as a suspect.

Heather left behind an uncashed check for $400 to $500, and she apparently had no money on her when she vanished. Her bank accounts, credit cards and cellular phone haven't been used since her disappearance. She was a student at the Oregon Culinary Institute at the time of her disappearance and had just started a new catering job. Heather is described as a responsible and reliable individual who wouldn't have left without telling anyone. She has no history of mental illness or any medical problems. She has lived in several places on the West Coast, including Los Angeles, California and Lakewood and Tacoma in Washington state. She'd lived in Portland for about four years before her disappearance. Foul play is suspected in her case, which remains unsolved.

Left: Mallory-Cole's car;
Center: License plate;
Right: Brian Cole