Brandis R. Ruetz was found dead behind a vacant house in the 3300 block of Oakley Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, December 4, 2013. City workers discovered her body in an area known for illegal dumping; homicide detectives said her body did not appear to have been there for a significant amount of time. No public details about the cause of death were released.

Brandis was 31 and had moved to the Kansas City area from Sycamore, Illinois. She was a mother of four and had long struggled with bipolar disorder and a drug addiction that began in her teens. In the months before her death she had been in contact with her parents, who last spoke to her in October 2013 when she was being released from jail. She had lived with her brother and later a boyfriend, was arrested for drug possession in September 2013, released on bond in October, and a November failure to appear led to a warrant for her arrest.

The Kansas City Police Department opened a homicide investigation and contacted friends and family to establish when she was last seen. As of early 2014 the case remained unsolved and no arrests or suspects had been announced. If anyone knew Brandis or has information about her final days, please share what you know with investigators.