In the late summer of 1981, the life of Patricia Ann Cadle, a 33-year-old woman from Montevallo, Alabama, took a dark and mysterious turn. On the afternoon of August 20th, she made a phone call to her aunt, a conversation that would be the last known communication from her. Patricia explained that her brother-in-law was planning to show her a trailer in the nearby area of Jennison.
This seemingly ordinary plan marked the beginning of a decades-long mystery, as Patricia vanished without a trace, leaving her loved ones in a state of perpetual uncertainty and distress. The initial hope for her swift return soon faded as the days turned into a painful silence.
The discovery of Patricia's car in a shopping center parking lot on Alabama 25 only deepened the growing concern for her welfare. Inside the vehicle, investigators found her purse and a handgun, items she was unlikely to have left behind voluntarily. This finding immediately suggested that her disappearance was not by choice and that she may have met with foul play. In the wake of this discovery, law enforcement launched extensive searches across multiple counties, including Bibb, Chilton, and Shelby, hoping to find any sign of the missing woman. Despite these thorough efforts, no trace of Patricia was found, and the investigation struggled to gain traction, leaving a void of unanswered questions for her family and the community.
For years, the case remained cold, a painful and unresolved chapter in the lives of those who knew and loved Patricia. A significant development occurred in 1995 when her brother-in-law, William Lamar Mills, who had been a suspect from the outset, confessed to her murder. He admitted to strangling Patricia and burying her body in a remote area of Chilton County. Following this confession, police made plans to excavate the specified location, but it remains unclear if a search for her remains was ever conducted. Despite his confession, Patricia's brother-in-law never faced charges in connection with her disappearance. The case officially remains a suspected homicide, a poignant and unresolved story that began with a simple phone call about viewing a trailer. The circumstances surrounding her last known moments, the discovery of her abandoned car, and the unprosecuted confession of a family member combine to create a deeply troubling and sorrowful mystery that has endured for decades.Last Seen: Aug 20, 1981
