Cheryl Payne Missing Person Case

Jan 31, 2013

Jan 08, 2024

Cheryl

Payne

53

32

60 inches

64 inches

100 lbs

135 lbs

White / Caucasian

Female

In the winter of 2003, a 32-year-old woman named Cheryl Denice Payne vanished from Roane County, Tennessee. She was last seen on December 27, 2003, in the area of Rockwood. That evening, Cheryl was at the Big Orange Bar with her live-in boyfriend, Terry Collins. Accounts from that night suggest the couple had been arguing before they left the bar together in a vehicle. Collins later told investigators that their argument continued as they drove, and at some point, Cheryl exited the vehicle and began walking back toward the bar. She was never seen or heard from again. At the time of her disappearance, Cheryl was wearing black jeans, a black tank top with a white shirt over it, and a black leather coat. She had brown hair and green eyes. The hours and days following Cheryl's disappearance were filled with worry for her family. Her mother reported her missing on December 28, 2003, after Collins informed them of the events from the previous night. For those who knew her, it was out of character for Cheryl to be out of contact, especially concerning her young son. The relationship between Cheryl and her boyfriend was reportedly tumultuous, with a known history of domestic violence. According to the sheriff's report, Collins stated that the argument on the night Cheryl disappeared began at their home when she wanted to go dancing and he did not. He admitted to slapping her at the Big Orange Bar during their argument there. Years have passed since Cheryl Payne was last seen, and her case remains an unsolved mystery. The Roane County Sheriff's Office has investigated her disappearance, but no significant leads have emerged to indicate her whereabouts. Terry Collins has been considered a person of interest in the case, though no charges have ever been filed. Over the years, law enforcement has followed up on various pieces of information, including using a cadaver dog to search certain areas, but their efforts have not led to a breakthrough. The case is a painful open wound for Cheryl's family, especially her son who was just a child at the time of her disappearance and has had to grow up without knowing what happened to his mother. The Roane County Sheriff's Office continues to ask for the public's help, hoping that someone, somewhere, holds the key to finally bringing Cheryl home and providing her loved ones with the answers they have been seeking for so long.

Dec 27, 2003

Rockwood

Tennessee

Roane County

37854

13015

Roane County Sheriff's Office

Kingston

Tennessee

Roane County

37763

Art Wolff

Detective

230 North 3rd Street, Tennessee

8657174700

County

Law Enforcement

http://www.roanesheriff.org/

0312282300 & 0312290830

2003-12-28

Roane County Sheriff's Office

Brown

Green

Green

07/01/2026