Debra Pritchett was last seen on January 30, 1998. She had planned to meet a friend at Austin's Party Palace in Mobile, but failed to show.

Authorities suspect Debra's husband Clarence may have been involved in her disappearance. In September of 1996, Clarence shot a male friend of Debra's with a .30-.30 rifle. Fortunately, the friend survived. However, Clarence was convicted of attempted murder seven years later and sentenced to prison.

In 2013, Capt. Burch told Lagniappe that there was a ""poor investigation done at the time"" and ""without a doubt"" Debra was killed by her husband Clarence. He also stated that MCSO had reopened Debra's case in 2004, but there was not enough evidence to proceed with any charges against Clarence.