Russell was last seen inside her family's trailer in the vicinity of the 7100 block of Oakley Avenue in Bayonet Point, Florida on September 4, 1995. She and her live-in boyfriend, Larry Podolski, went to bed at midnight. Podolski told authorities that they woke up to tapping on their windows at approximately 1:00 a.m., and Russell got up to investigate. Podolski fell back asleep shortly afterwards and when he woke up later in the morning, Russell was gone. She has never been heard from again. Podolski stated that $245 in cash disappeared from the residence that night; the couple had planned to use the money to pay bills.

Podolski claims he called the police to report Russell's disappearance at 1:00 p.m. the same day she vanished, but was told he had to wait 48 hours, so he did not report her missing until 7:27 p.m. two days later. The Pasco County Sheriff's Office does not have a record of his phone call, however, nor do they have a policy of waiting two days to take a missing persons report.

Russell's family told authorities that it was uncharacteristic of her to abandon her children and not share any travel plans with loved ones. She left behind her contact lenses, driver's license and other belongs. Podolski, who is the father of her two sons, had asked her to marry him. He maintains they were planning on a February 1996 wedding, but Russell's mother said her daughter was planning to leave Podolski and take their children. Russell's family describes the couple's relationship as troubled, and they openly accused Podolski of murder after her disappearance. He admits that he had problems with drugs and alcohol in 1995, and maintains that Russell did as well. She and Podolski had a violent, drunken argument in July 1995 and he was arrested, but the charges against him were dropped after Russell recanted her story, and she was charged with filing a false police report. Podolski maintains they were not having any problems by September 1995.

Russell is considered endangered, but the circumstances surrounding her disappearance are unclear. Podolski is considered a suspect in her case, but he has never been charged with any wrongdoing in connection with it. Her disappearance remains unsolved.