Mary Elizabeth Dietz was a 78-year-old white woman from Selbyville, Delaware, who was last seen in the early morning hours of October 14, 1997. Online case listings identify her as missing from her residence on Lantern Lane, where she was reportedly waiting for her morning newspaper at about 3:30 a.m. She was later reported missing by her son. Mary was described as 4 feet 9 inches to 4 feet 10 inches tall and weighing between 90 and 110 pounds, with gray hair and blue eyes.
Mary suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, a condition that may have contributed to her disappearance. Contemporary reporting in the Cape Gazette stated that because of her illness, she had sometimes been observed in a disoriented state. The same report noted that she was occasionally seen digging through a dumpster behind her residence, a detail that became important in understanding the circumstances that followed.
Around the time Mary disappeared, a trash collector reportedly noticed that the dumpster behind her residence was empty and that one of its side doors was open. Investigators considered the possibility that Mary may have climbed into the dumpster, but searches of the landfill did not find her. This possibility is especially heartbreaking because it reflects the vulnerability she may have been experiencing at the time, and the uncertainty left behind for those who cared about her.
Police did not suspect foul play in Mary’s disappearance, based on the available public reporting. The case has instead been described in connection with her Alzheimer’s disease, her known disorientation, and the concern that she may have wandered or entered a dangerous situation without realizing the risk. Her disappearance remains defined by the painful absence of clear answers after she vanished from a familiar place during an ordinary morning routine.
The Delaware State Police Headquarters is listed as the investigating agency in Mary’s NamUs case, under missing person case MP5661. Public online records continue to associate her case with Selbyville in Sussex County, Delaware, and identify October 14, 1997, as her date of last contact. Mary’s case stands as a reminder of the risks faced by older adults living with memory-related illnesses, and of the lasting grief families endure when a loved one disappears without resolution.Last Seen: Oct 14, 1997
