Sharpless was last seen at 4:45 a.m. on August 23, 2009, in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania. Earlier that evening, she left her home in West Brandywine Township to spend time with her friend, Crystal Johns. They went to the Ice Nightclub and later attended a house party on Bobarn Drive. It was at the house party where Sharpless and another guest got into an argument, prompting the host to ask Sharpless and Johns to leave. While driving home, Sharpless and Johns argued about her ability to drive after drinking. Sharpless stopped the car, asked Johns to get out, and drove away. She has not been seen or heard from since. Sharpless was driving a black 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix GT with tinted windows and Pennsylvania license plate DND7772. The vehicle has never been located. On September 8, 2009, someone reportedly ran the license plate in Camden, New Jersey. However, by the time Pennsylvania police were notified, several days had passed, and they were unable to locate the car. Sharpless’s cellphone also remains missing and was last active around 4:00 a.m. the morning she disappeared.