Beverly was last seen at her single-story home in the 200 block of west 11th Street in Junction City, Kansas on July 4, 1978. A friend of hers was staying over on the night she disappeared and was sleeping in another bed in the same room. In the early morning hours, Beverly's family as well as her friend woke up and went to the front door to watch a disturbance across the street. They thought Beverly was with them, but once the commotion was over they realized she was gone. The screen had been cut and removed from the bedroom window; it was lying about ten feet from the house. None of Beverly's clothes were missing and $12 she was saving for an upcoming trip to camp was left behind. Authorities believe someone removed her from her bedroom between 3:00 and 5:00 a.m.