Patricia called her Aunt at 3pm on the day that she vanished. Patricia told her aunt that William Lamar MILLS had a trailer to show her down near Jennison, AL. Patricia’s car was found in a shopping center parking lot on Alabama 25. Inside the car, investigators found Patricia’s purse with her handgun inside. Following Patricia’s disappearance, thorough searches were conducted in Bibb, Chilton, and Shelby Counties but Patricia was not found. In 1995 MILLS confessed to murdering Patricia via strangulation. He admitted that he strangled Patricia and buried her body in Chilton County, AL. The Chilton County Sheriff’s Office was planning a dig once the specific area had dried enough. The Montevallo Police Chief stated that MILLS had been a suspect since from the moment Patricia was reported missing by her family.