Sullivan was a student at Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee in 1986. She moved from Gallatin, Tennessee with her young son and lived at Town Terrace Apartments at the time of her disappearance. Sullivan left her home at approximately 8:00 a.m. on August 28, 1986 when her boyfriend picked her up to take her to her classes. Sullivan attended class that morning, then stopped to visit a friend at a dormitory room in Hankle Hall on the university's campus. Her friend stated that she last saw Sullivan at approximately 10:00 a.m., when her friend left Sullivan alone in the dorm room to attend her own class. Sullivan was due to return home at 1:00 p.m., but she never arrived and has not been heard from again. Foul play is suspected in her case.