Howard was last seen leaving Riverside Family Dentistry, where she worked as a dental hygienist, on Highway 78 in Riverside, Alabama, at 1:00 p.m. on June 2, 2009. She has not been seen or heard from since. After her disappearance, her vehicle was found abandoned at her workplace. The car keys were discovered in a plastic bag lying in the weeds near the dental office. The day before she vanished, Howard requested three days off from work, telling her employer she planned to take a short vacation. However, her husband of eight years was unaware of these plans. Howard’s family believes her disappearance might be connected to criminal activity at her workplace. In 2011, her employer was indicted on charges of fraud, money laundering, and identity theft. However, no evidence has directly linked this to her case. Since her disappearance, there has been no activity on Howard’s cellular phone, bank accounts, or credit cards.