Amanda Tusing—known lovingly as “Mandy”—was just 20 years old when she disappeared, leaving behind a family, a fiancé, and a future that was already taking shape. Petite, brunette, and described by those who loved her as spunky and full of energy, Amanda had the kind of personality that filled a room. Friends said she had “the world by the tail,” and it’s easy to see why.
Amanda lived with her parents, Ed and Susan Tusing, in Dell, Arkansas. She was engaged to Matthew Ervin, her high-school sweetheart, and the two were deeply in love. They were already planning their June 2001 wedding, mapping out a life that felt solid and certain. Amanda dreamed of becoming a veterinarian, while Matthew had begun his career selling insurance after graduating from Arkansas State University. To everyone around them, they were inseparable.
Then came a night that would change everything.
The Last Drive
On the evening of June 14, 2000, Amanda was visiting Matthew at his home in Jonesboro, Arkansas. At around 11:30 p.m., she decided to head back to Dell, despite a heavy rainstorm that had settled over the area. The drive should have taken about an hour.
Before leaving, Amanda made a promise that now echoes painfully through this case: she told Matthew she would call him as soon as she arrived home safely.
That phone call never came.
By 1:30 a.m., Matthew’s concern had grown into fear. He called Amanda’s parents, only to learn something devastating—Amanda had not arrived, and no one had heard from her.
A Chilling Discovery on Ark. 18
Realizing something was terribly wrong, Matthew and Ed Tusing did what any loved ones would do. They grabbed their car keys and began driving along Arkansas Highway 18, the exact route Amanda would have taken. They agreed to meet somewhere along the way, scanning the dark, rain-soaked road for any sign of her.
About one mile west of Monette, Matthew’s headlights caught a sight that made his heart sink.
Amanda’s black 1991 Pontiac Grand Am was pulled over on the side of the road.
At first, it seemed possible she had simply broken down. But when Matthew pulled up beside the car, hope collapsed into horror. The vehicle was empty. There were no signs of Amanda anywhere nearby.
Most unsettling of all, the keys were still in the ignition.
It was as if Amanda had vanished in an instant.
The Investigation Begins
Authorities were notified immediately, and a search began. Law enforcement examined the car and the surrounding area, but there were no obvious signs of a struggle, no clear clues pointing to where Amanda had gone or why she would have left her vehicle behind.
Friends and family were adamant about one thing: Amanda would not have willingly walked away. She had every reason to go home, every reason to call, every reason to be found. The rain, the late hour, and the isolated stretch of highway only deepened the mystery.
Search efforts expanded, tips were followed, and theories began to circulate—but none led to Amanda.
Questions That Still Haunt This Case
More than two decades later, the disappearance of Amanda Tusing remains deeply unsettling because of what doesn’t make sense:
- Why would Amanda leave her car with the keys still inside?
- If the car had mechanical trouble, where did she go for help?
- Did she encounter someone she trusted—or someone she didn’t?
- How could she vanish from a rural highway without leaving a trace?
Each question leads only to more silence.
A Family Left Waiting
For Amanda’s parents and her fiancé, life was permanently divided into before and after that rainy June night. A wedding never happened. A dream of becoming a veterinarian was never fulfilled. Holidays, milestones, and ordinary days have all passed with one unspoken ache—not knowing.
Cases like Amanda’s are not just mysteries; they are ongoing wounds. Someone knows what happened on Ark. 18 that night. Someone knows why Amanda never made it home.
Why Amanda’s Story Still Matters
Amanda Tusing was not just a missing person case—she was a daughter, a fiancée, a young woman with plans and love and momentum. Remembering her story keeps attention on unresolved cases like hers and reminds us that time passing does not erase responsibility.
As long as her story is told, Amanda is not forgotten.
And as long as questions remain unanswered, hope—however fragile—still exists.