Potts was last seen in Claymont, Delaware on May 11, 2010. He lived in the 2900 block of Green Street. He called his mother that day and said he was depressed over financial problems and felt suicidal. His mother immediately left her Chester, Pennsylvania home and drove to Potts's residence. When she got there, however, he was no longer there, and his car was also missing. The vehicle was a black 2003 GMC Yukon with the Delaware license plate number PC478018.

At 9:35 a.m. that day, witnesses saw a man drive a car onto the Commodore Barry Bridge, get out, and jump over the side into the Delaware River. Authorities later found Potts's vehicle on the bridge with the keys inside. They never found his body, however. His wife is attempting to have him declared legally dead.