Key facts
- Name: Amber Elizabeth Cates
- Born: February 3, 1988, Columbia, Tennessee
- Age at disappearance: 16
- Last seen: April 11, 2004
- Location: Columbia, Maury County, Tennessee
- Height / build: 5’5″, 100 lbs, light brown hair (may have been dyed blonde), green/hazel eyes
- Status: Still missing — Maury County Sheriff’s Office and FBI (Nashville field office), active
- Case number: 200702299
- Reward: Up to $25,000 (FBI)
- Investigating agency: Maury County Sheriff’s Office — (931) 388-5151; FBI Nashville Field Office — 1-800-CALL-FBI / tips.fbi.gov
The gold Mazda
On April 11, 2004, sixteen-year-old Amber Elizabeth Cates left her mother’s home on Tracy Lane in Columbia, Tennessee, with a friend, James Gordon. She was supposed to be heading to spend spring break with a relative — some accounts say she planned a trip to Panama City, Florida. She was expected back in a couple of days.
She never arrived. She never came home. She was never seen again.
What happened next is a chain of handoffs that has never been untangled. Gordon told police he left Amber with another acquaintance, Ronald “California” Inzurriaga — the plan, he said, was to eat at a Waffle House. Investigators eventually located Inzurriaga in a federal prison in Alabama. His account: he’d spent a short time with Amber, then dropped her off at a garage in Columbia after she’d bought some hair dye. He said he knew nothing more. That garage has never been publicly identified.
The case that didn’t stay a runaway
Authorities initially classified Amber as a runaway. She’d lived an unstable life — time in foster care, moves through several states, and, her half-sister Brenda James said, a risky crowd in the days before she vanished. Just days before April 11, Brenda James had become Amber’s legal guardian.
But the runaway theory didn’t survive the silence. Amber’s Social Security number was never used again. Her cell phone went dead. Her driving record showed no activity. Sixteen-year-olds who run away use phones. They get tickets. They surface. Amber did none of it — and the investigation shifted toward foul play.
Brenda James never stopped. In 2017 she hired private investigators to work the case. She built a Facebook page — “Bring Amber Elizabeth Cates Home” — and has kept her sister’s name in the public eye for two decades. FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Matthew Foster said the bureau has never stopped: “We’ve been searching for Amber, looking for tips and somebody to tell us if they were close to her… If we can’t bring a loved one home safely, we at least want to bring some peace to that family.”
In March 2024, Maury County Sheriff Bucky Rowland announced what he described as a potentially promising new lead — evidence sent for analysis. Authorities never publicly revealed what the lead was, and no resolution followed. As of 2026, no one has been publicly charged in connection with Amber’s disappearance.
Theories: what might have happened
Foul play by someone in the chain. Amber was last known to be with adults who gave conflicting accounts — the Waffle House story, the hair-dye-and-garage story. One or both accounts may be false. Inzurriaga has been described as a person of interest; no charges have ever been filed against him or Gordon, and both are presumed innocent.
A planned disappearance gone wrong. She bought hair dye the day she vanished. Some read that as a girl planning to change her look and run. But the total absence of any digital or financial footprint for 22 years argues against a voluntary new life — runaways leave traces.
Trafficking. A vulnerable sixteen-year-old, a risky crowd, adult men as the last known contacts — investigators have not publicly ruled it out, and the FBI’s continued involvement reflects the possibility. What undercuts a resolution: no evidence, no witness, nothing recovered.
Have information?
Contact the Maury County Sheriff’s Office: (931) 388-5151; or the FBI Nashville Field Office: 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov (reward up to $25,000). In an emergency, dial 911.
Timeline
- February 3, 1988 — Amber Elizabeth Cates is born in Columbia, Tennessee.
- Early April 2004 — Half-sister Brenda James becomes her legal guardian.
- April 11, 2004 — Leaves her mother’s home on Tracy Lane with James Gordon in a gold Mazda; never arrives for spring break.
- 2004 — Gordon says he left her with Ronald Inzurriaga; Inzurriaga, interviewed in a federal prison in Alabama, says he dropped her at a Columbia garage after she bought hair dye. Case shifts from runaway to suspected foul play.
- 2017 — Brenda James hires private investigators.
- March 2024 — Sheriff Bucky Rowland announces a new lead; evidence sent for analysis; no public outcome.
- 2026 — Still no charges; FBI $25,000 reward active.
- Today — Still missing.
FAQ
Is Amber Cates still missing?
Yes. As of October 2026, Amber Cates has been missing for more than 22 years. The case remains active with the Maury County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI.
Was Amber Cates ever found?
No. Despite FBI involvement, private investigators, and a 2024 evidentiary lead, Amber has never been found and no one has been charged.
Who was Amber Cates last seen with?
She left in a gold Mazda with James Gordon, who said he handed her off to Ronald “California” Inzurriaga. Inzurriaga said he dropped her at a Columbia garage after she bought hair dye. Neither account has been corroborated.
Why did the runaway theory fall apart?
Her Social Security number was never used again, her phone went dead, and her driving record showed no activity — a total absence inconsistent with a teenager living on her own.
How old would Amber Cates be today?
Born February 3, 1988, she would be 38 in 2026.
Is there a reward in the Amber Cates case?
Yes — the FBI offers up to $25,000 for information leading to her recovery or the prosecution of those responsible.
How can I help?
Share this case file. Anyone with information should contact the Maury County Sheriff’s Office at (931) 388-5151 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Sources
- Official / law enforcement: FBI, “Amber Elizabeth Cates” wanted/kidnap flyer (fbi.gov) — Field Office: Nashville, reward up to $25,000; Maury County Sheriff’s Office (931) 388-5151, case #200702299.
- News: Chip Chick, “In 2004, This Tennessee Teen Vanished After She Left For Spring Break” (Feb 2023; FBI ASAC Matthew Foster quotes); Maury County Sheriff’s 2024 lead announcement (Mar 2024, via crime coverage).
- Reference: Wikipedia, “Disappearance of Amber Cates” (retrieved Oct 2026); Charley Project, “Amber Elizabeth Cates.”
- Media: Crime Ninja TV, “Why Has No One Found Amber Cates?” (YouTube, 2026).
Found an error? Tell us via the About page and we will fix it promptly and note the change here. Last verified October 2026.