A north Alabama town is abuzz over the mysterious disappearance of a recent homecoming queen from the local high school.

Jennifer Lee Hampton of Waterloo hasn’t been seen since she vanished from a motel during a work-related trip to Knoxville, Tenn. And friends and relatives are worried about what may have happened to the 21-year-old woman, who was homecoming queen at Waterloo High School.

Principal Ray Harrison says the mood is surreal as people await word in Waterloo, a town of about 200 in northwest Alabama.

Hampton was with a small group of co-workers who had gone to Knoxville to help open a new restaurant. They called police on Saturday after realizing she was gone from their motel.

Police say evidence indicates foul play may be involved in the disappearance.