Ales was last seen in Batesville, Mississippi on January 14, 1991 walking near her home at about 11:00 a.m. Police went to her house on Kyle Road on January 19th after her postal carrier notified them that her mailbox had filled up. Her house was locked and she lived alone. Lunch still cooked on the stove, dishes were set on the table with a coffee cup and a container of butter on the table. Authorities stated it looked like she had eaten breakfast and was starting to prepare lunch when she left the house for some reason. She didn't own a vehicle and had no known health problems or mental issues that could explain her disappearance.