She Walked Out of a Motel Room With Only Her ID—Then Vanished Without a Trace

She Walked Out of a Motel Room With Only Her ID—Then Vanished Without a Trace

On the evening of July 7, 2006, 18-year-old Roxanne Paltauf checked into a Budget Inn in Austin, Texas, with her boyfriend, Louis Walls. The motel was near Interstate 35 and Rundberg Road, and at first, there was nothing to suggest that this would be the last night anyone would ever see Roxanne.


Earlier that day, Roxanne had spoken with her mother, who invited her to join the family on a shopping trip to San Marcos the following day. Roxanne agreed and told her mother she would be home in time.

But later that evening, something changed.

Roxanne and Walls became involved in an argument inside their motel room. During the disagreement, Roxanne became upset and walked out. According to Walls, she took only her identification with her. He initially followed her outside, but Roxanne reportedly told him to leave her alone. Walls then returned to the room.





Roxanne walked along the service road toward Rundberg and turned onto Middle Lane. Walls later told investigators that about 20 minutes after returning to the room, he went looking for her again—but she was gone.


There was no goodbye message. No confirmed sighting. No explanation for where she went next.


Roxanne never returned to the motel.


The circumstances surrounding her disappearance became even more troubling after investigators learned that she had left behind virtually everything she normally carried with her, including her clothing, shoes, purse, wallet, jewelry and cellphone. Her mother, who said Roxanne normally stayed in daily contact with her, reported her missing the following day.


There were also troubling questions surrounding the motel room. By the time police became involved, Walls had already checked out and left with Roxanne's belongings, meaning potential evidence from the room had been lost.


Investigators later examined other leads, including Roxanne's identification card, which was found in the possession of another man days after she disappeared. That man was questioned but was never charged in connection with Roxanne's disappearance. Walls was also considered a person of interest, but he has never been charged in the case.


More than two decades later, Roxanne's disappearance remains unsolved.


She was an 18-year-old who had been working toward her GED and dreamed of becoming a fashion designer. She was especially close to her mother and was devoted to her four younger siblings. Then, on a summer night in Austin, she walked away from a motel—and seemingly disappeared from the world.


The biggest question remains the same: What happened to Roxanne Paltauf after she walked away that night?

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