On the evening of March 2, 1998, 19-year-old Suzanne Lyall, a sophomore at the State University of New York at Albany, finished her shift at Babbage's software store in the Crossgates Mall. She boarded a Capital District Transportation Authority bus around 9:20 p.m. for the ride back to her campus. A classmate later reported seeing Suzanne get off the bus at the Collins Circle stop on campus around 9:45 p.m., just a short walk from her dorm. She was never seen or heard from again. At the time of her disappearance, she was wearing a long black trench coat, a black shirt, and blue jeans, and was carrying a black book bag.
The following morning, March 3, after Suzanne failed to return to her dorm and missed a midterm exam, her boyfriend and parents became concerned. Her parents reported her missing to the campus police, who initially suggested she might have just taken a brief, unannounced trip.
However, her family insisted this was out of character for the responsible and routine-oriented student. A significant and perplexing clue emerged that afternoon when Suzanne's debit card was used to withdraw $20 from an ATM at a Stewart's Shops convenience store in Albany. The correct PIN was used on the first attempt, and according to her boyfriend, only he and Suzanne knew the number. After she missed another midterm, the campus police involved the New York State Police, and a full-scale investigation began.
Despite extensive searches of the campus and surrounding areas, no trace of Suzanne was found. A couple of months after she vanished, two students found her work ID badge in a visitor parking lot near the bus stop, but it was an older ID, and its connection to her disappearance was unclear. A coworker told investigators that Suzanne had mentioned being stalked by an unknown person in the month before she disappeared, though she didn't seem afraid. Over the years, police have investigated various leads and potential suspects, but no arrests have ever been made. The case has drawn comparisons to the 1985 disappearance of another SUNY Albany student, Karen Louise Wilson, who also vanished without a trace. The investigation into what happened to Suzanne Lyall after she stepped off that bus remains open and active. Her disappearance led her parents to become advocates for the families of other missing persons, founding the Center for Hope and pushing for legislation like 'Suzanne's Law' to improve how missing persons cases involving young adults are handled.Last Seen: Mar 2, 1998
