Jean was last seen in Fairfield on August 1, 1980 by her parents when she stopped by their house to make shopping plans with her mother and sister for the following day. She then left with her estranged husband to buy shoes for their infant daughter; they parted company around 9:30pm. The next day Jean's sister arrived at Jean's residence and found Jean's infant daughter in the house alone; the door had been locked from the outside and Jean's car was still in the driveway. A diaper bag had been packed as if Jean and her daughter were leaving, and Jean's purse was inside the house on a table beside the front door. She noticed a strange smell in the home, later described as possibly ether, and noticed Jean's bedspread and keys were missing from the house. Police questioned the estranged husband. He told police he dropped Jean and their baby off at her house, stayed less than 30 minutes, and was told by Jean that she had dinner plans with her ex-husband. Police spoke with the ex-husband who said that Jean never showed up for dinner. He said that he called her numerous times throughout the evening and early morning hours, but never reached her. Her ex-husband died in 1994, and police say he is not a suspect in Jean's disappearance, but that foul play is suspected.