Marla Kay Mullins, a 25-year-old woman, vanished from Mineola, Texas, on the evening of December 12, 1981, after attending a Christmas party at Arnold's Rest restaurant. The restaurant was conveniently located across the street from the garage apartment where she lived. Accounts of her departure from the party differ, creating a puzzling timeline for investigators. One female friend reported that Mullins left the restaurant at approximately 8:00 p.m. with a man they both knew.
However, this man told authorities that he later brought Mullins back to the restaurant. He claimed to have witnessed her getting into an unfamiliar vehicle with three unknown individuals: a Black male and two white females. Mullins has not been seen or heard from since that night.
In the aftermath of her disappearance, rumors circulated that Mullins was employed at a nightclub in Houston, Texas. Law enforcement was unable to substantiate these claims, and her family expressed doubt that she would have left without any communication. Her sister, her only surviving relative, acknowledged that Mullins had become involved with a "rough crowd" before she went missing. Over the years, the investigation continued, and in 1993, family members and a Mineola detective reviewed footage of a woman resembling Mullins who appeared on the "Jenny Jones" talk show.
A significant development in the case came with the identification of Kevin Leon Kirbo as the primary suspect. Kirbo is currently serving a life sentence for the 1995 murder of a woman from Rains County, Texas. In May 2010, information provided by Kirbo led authorities to a search site along the Sabine River near Mineola in hopes of finding Mullins's remains. Despite this lead, the extensive search yielded no results, and the case of Marla Kay Mullins's disappearance remains unsolved. Foul play is suspected in her case.Last Seen: Dec 12, 1981
