Riley was last seen by relatives in Montgomery, Alabama at approximately 11:30 p.m. on December 7, 2003. She left her home in the 1500 block of Hill Street in a dark green, four-door car, possibly a Ford Taurus or Chevrolet Caprice. The driver took Riley to her mother's home, where Riley asked for a jacket. Her brother, who answered the door, asked who was driving the car. He has never seen it before. Riley told her brother the driver was a friend.

A week or two later, her mother got a telephone message which she believes was from Riley. The message wasn't clear: the caller said either "leave me alone" or "let me go home." A man's voice in the background said Riley's name, then the call disconnected. It has never been traced.

Riley enjoys cooking and music. She is a 2002 graduate of Redan High School in Stone Mountain, Georgia. She was planning to enroll in college and aspired towards a career in criminal justice at the time of her disappearance. It's uncharacteristic of her to leave without warning and her family believes she was a crime victim. Her case remains unsolved.