In the late hours of January 24, 2010, 44-year-old Joan Renee Cook was last seen leaving her estranged husband's home in Salem, Virginia. She was reportedly walking to a friend's house nearby. At the time of her disappearance, Joan stood at 5'6' and weighed around 120 pounds. She had brown, curly, shoulder-length hair with bangs and brown eyes.
Distinguishing features included a tattoo of a frog on her lower back, a floral bracelet tattooed on one of her ankles, and both of her pinky fingers were bent inward at the last joint. She was last seen wearing a red sweater, blue jeans, a black jacket, and Timberland shoes. Joan was carrying a green duffle bag, a beige toiletries bag, and a purse.
Joan and her husband, Mike Cook, were separated, and she had been living with her boyfriend. However, on weekends when her boyfriend had his daughter, Joan would stay at her former home on Elderwood Road with Mike and their seven-year-old daughter to spend time with her child. It was during one of these weekend stays that she vanished. Her husband told authorities that she left the residence on foot around 11:00 p.m. to visit a friend. The last known contact from Joan was a text message sent from her phone at 5:00 a.m. on January 25, 2010, to the friend she was supposedly going to visit. The message simply said, 'I love you.' Cell phone data indicated the phone was near the third Salem exit on Interstate 81 southbound when the text was sent.
Joan was not officially reported missing until January 31, 2010, by her husband. Her family grew concerned when they were unable to reach her, which was out of character for the devoted mother. Investigators have stated they believe foul play is involved in her disappearance, and it is uncharacteristic of her to have left her young daughter. Since she went missing, there has been no activity on her cell phone or bank accounts. Her boyfriend was ruled out as a suspect as he was out of town at the time of her disappearance. The investigation into Joan Renee Cook's disappearance remains open, and authorities believe someone close to her has information about what happened.Last Seen: Jan 25, 2010
