Smalley and her friend, Stacie Madison, planned to spend the night of March 19, 1988 at the Smalley family residence in Carrollton, Texas. It has been established that the girls were at the house at approximately 12:00 a.m. on March 20, as Madison called a friend from their home at that time. Smalley and Madison departed together afterwards. They were traveling in Madison's 1967 Mustang convertible. The car had been painted green and gold, the colors of Newman Smith High School, where the girls were seniors at the time. A photo of the car before it was painted is posted below this case summary. Smalley planned to buy a new car and head to Florida after graduation. She left $600 behind in her bank account.

Smalley and Madison apparently attempted to purchase beer at a local 7-11 convenience store in the early morning hours of March 20. They were refused service due to their ages. The girls then drove to the Steak and Ale in Carrollton, where Smalley was employed as a hostess. One of Smalley's co-workers told investigators that Smalley spent approximately five minutes inside the restaurant speaking to a friend, then departed. Madison stayed inside the vehicle while Smalley was in the establishment. This was the last confirmed sighting of the girls.

Smalley's mother called authorities when she noticed that neither of the girls was in the family's home later in the morning. Madison's convertible was located later in a strip mall parking lot in Dallas, Texas on Forest Lane and Webb Chapel Road. The vehicle was locked and appeared to be undisturbed; Madison's portable stereo was placed on the back seat.

Foul play is suspected in the girls' disappearances. Madison's boyfriend was questioned extensively. He allegedly told someone he'd killed Smalley and Madison, but he immediately recanted his statement and later passed a polygraph. One theory is they were abducted and taken to Mexico. Their cases remain unsolved.

Above: Madison's car