Perez was last seen in Chalmette, Louisiana on March 25, 1976. She went out that evening, leaving her teenage daughter at home to babysit her younger children. She said she'd call to check on them at 10:00 or 11:00 p.m. Perez did call and said she'd be home shortly, but she never arrived. Later that night, a woman who called herself Dorothy called and said Perez was having car trouble. Perez's family did not know who Dorothy was, and Perez's car was almost new and had no reason to suddenly break down. She has never been heard from again.

Perez had gone to meet a girlfriend at a country and western club on the outskirts of New Orleans, Louisiana. Police found her car abandoned in the club's parking lot the next morning. There was nothing wrong with it. Ten days later, Perez's purse was located; it had been weighted with a brick and thrown into Lake Pontchartrain.

Nine years after Perez's disappearance, David Courtney confessed that he and his wife had killed her during a multi-state murder spree. A photo of Courtney is posted below this case summary. He stated he and his wife went to the country and western club and offered a ride to Perez, who was too drunk to drive. While his wife drove the car, Courtney strangled Perez in the backseat. He said they dumped her body near the Louisiana/Mississippi state line and made no attempts to conceal it. Perez's remains have never been found, though all of Courtney's other victims were located. He has never been charged in her presumed death, but he is serving a life sentence for another murder. His wife served ten years for being his accomplice.

Perez has never been located. Her family hopes she may still be alive. New Orleans police are investigating her disappearance.

Above: David Courtney