Born in 1965 in Rockledge, Florida, Tammy Lynn Leppert began competing in beauty pageants at the age of 4. She amassed an impressive 280 crowns in nearly 300 competitions, paving the way for a modeling career. She even graced the cover of Covergirl in 10/1978.

Her mother, Linda Curtis, fully supported her, acting as her manager and accompanying her to events.

In 1980, Tammy landed a small, uncredited role in Little Darlings, marking her first Hollywood film appearance. She secured another uncredited role in the teen movie Spring Break in 1983.

Tammy Lynn Leppert, with blonde hair and hazel eyes, began her modeling and acting career in the early 1980s. Photo: IMDb

Tammy Lynn Leppert, with blonde hair and hazel eyes, began her modeling and acting career in the early 1980s. Photo: IMDb

While the filming of Spring Break went smoothly, a subsequent cast party seemed to have a negative impact on Tammy. Those close to her reported a shift in her demeanor, describing her as paranoid and withdrawn.

Wing Flannagan, a close friend, said Tammy returned from the party "a different person." "I would ask her what she was thinking, if something was bothering her," Flannagan recalled. "She would change the subject or say 'Oh, nothing,' and try to laugh it off."

Linda also noticed her daughter's disturbing behavior. Tammy once asked, "Mom, what would you say if I told you someone was trying to kill me?" Linda responded, "You think someone’s trying to kill you, Tammy?" to which Tammy replied, "Yes."

Despite her mental state, Tammy continued pursuing her Hollywood dreams. In 1983, she landed a minor role in the acclaimed film Scarface. However, she returned home after only four days of filming.

Walter Liebowitz, a friend who stayed with Tammy during the Scarface shoot, received a call from the casting director about Tammy's breakdown on set. "They were filming a scene where a person was getting shot, and fake blood was splattering. Tammy started crying hysterically. It got so bad they had to put her in a car to rest," Liebowitz recounted.

Tammy Lynn Leppert played the bikini-clad girl distracting the driver in the 1983 classic film Scarface. Photo: Universal Pictures

Tammy Lynn Leppert played the bikini-clad girl distracting the driver in the 1983 classic film Scarface. Photo: Universal Pictures

In the weeks following her departure from the Scarface set, Tammy's paranoia and anxiety worsened. She sometimes refused to eat or drink, fearing she would be poisoned.

On 1/7/1983, Tammy smashed a window at her home with a baseball bat and attacked Flannagan. Linda took her to see a specialist.

After three days of medical care, Tammy was discharged. Reports indicated no drug or alcohol abuse, nor any underlying medical conditions. However, according to Linda, Tammy remained distressed, insisting she had "seen something terrible that she shouldn't have seen" at the Spring Break cast party. She refused to disclose what she had witnessed, only repeating that "they" were coming for her.

On 6/7/1983, Tammy disappeared.

That day, she left home without brushing her hair, something Linda found unusual. Tammy then went out with a male friend, the last person to see her.

He claimed they had an argument, and he dropped her off near the old Glass Bank building in Cocoa Beach, Florida, at her request, about 8 km from her home. Surveillance footage later captured her alone in a nearby parking lot. She then walked to a public phone booth, possibly at a gas station, and made several calls to her aunt and a friend. Unable to reach them, she left multiple "urgent" messages before vanishing without a trace.

Tammy was last seen wearing a blue denim skirt and a blue floral-embroidered shirt, carrying a gray purse, and wearing sandals. Some accounts suggest she was barefoot just before her disappearance.

Linda stated her daughter was "afraid" of the male friend who had picked her up and dropped her off that day, leading many to question him. However, he was never officially considered a suspect by the police, and no charges were ever filed against him.

The police investigation led to Christopher Wilder, nicknamed the "Beauty Queen Killer," responsible for the murders of several young women in 1984, some in Florida. He often lured victims into his car or home under the guise of modeling opportunities. This tactic was considered a possible method he could have used to persuade Tammy.

In 4/1984, Wilder died in a shootout with police in New Hampshire. Authorities found no concrete evidence linking him to Tammy's disappearance.

John Brennan Crutchley, known as the "Vampire Rapist," was another potential suspect due to his crimes in Florida around the time of Tammy's disappearance, but police struggled to connect him to her case.

Linda theorized her daughter "knew too much" about local drug trafficking and was silenced by a gang to protect their secrets. Tammy had reportedly mentioned "money laundering" during an emotional outburst, possibly implying involvement with a criminal organization or simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

However, these theories were never confirmed. Linda died in 1995, and after decades, the mystery of Tammy's disappearance remains unsolved.

Tue Anh (According to ATI)