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Joy Cannon Missing Person Case

Last seen in Chattanooga, Tennessee on Jun 3, 1982

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Victim Details

Oct 19, 2010

Jan 5, 2024

Joy

Cannon

70

26

65 inches

66 inches

102 lbs

135 lbs

White / Caucasian

Female

Jun 3, 1982

Chattanooga

Tennessee

Hamilton County

37404

No

9224

Chattanooga Police Department

Chattanooga

Tennessee

Hamilton County

37406

S. Blount

Detective

3410 Amnicola Highway, Tennessee

4236435000

Local

Law Enforcement

http://www.chattanooga.gov/police-department

82-050200

Jun 9, 1982

Chattanooga Police Department

Brown

Green

Green

Oct 17, 2026


Area Last Seen:

Case Description

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Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP8478) and 5 other sources
In the early summer of 1982, a young woman named Joy Diane Cannon, 26 years old at the time, disappeared from her mother's home in Chattanooga, Tennessee. On June 3rd, she mentioned she was going to visit friends in the area and left the residence on East 17th Street. Joy, who sometimes went by Diane, was never seen or heard from again. She was a Caucasian female with brown, shoulder-length hair that she wore either wavy or straight, and had green eyes. Her family recalled distinctive tattoos: the word 'Love' tattooed across the fingers of her left hand, and a man's name, either 'Jack' or 'Bill,' on her right hand. She had also previously fractured her right upper arm and clavicle.

The circumstances surrounding Joy's disappearance remain shrouded in mystery, with very few details available to the public or investigators. It is unclear if she left her mother's home on foot or if someone picked her up. The friends she intended to visit have never been publicly identified. Her mother reported her missing to the Chattanooga Police Department on June 9, 1982. In the many years that have passed since she vanished, no evidence has surfaced to indicate what might have happened to her after she walked out of her mother's home that day.

Decades have gone by without any resolution, and Joy's case has grown cold. Due to the extensive length of time without any contact or sightings, law enforcement suspects foul play was involved in her disappearance. The lack of information has been a significant obstacle in the investigation, leaving her family with unanswered questions and a profound sense of loss. The case of Joy Diane Cannon is an overview of a story that ended too soon, a young woman who vanished from her life, leaving behind only memories and the lingering question of her fate on a summer day in Tennessee.
Last Seen: Jun 3, 1982

Links to Additional Sources (5)

See any mistakes? Let us know!
  • Diane Joy Cannon - The Charley Project
  • 1716DFTN - Joy Diane Cannon
  • Diane Cannon | International Missing Persons Wiki - Fandom
  • 1716DFTN - Joy Diane Cannon - Doe Network
  • Missing Person / NamUs #MP8478

    • Possible Unidentified Matches (4)

    Unidentified remains cases whose details are consistent with this person, ranked by how closely they compare. Fields that are unknown in either case are left out of the score.

    82%Moderate
    Jane Doe — Chattanooga, Tennessee
    UP8191 • Found Mar 29, 1999
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 30–45 vs 26 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 100%2 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 17 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'4" vs 5'5"–5'6"
    Weight 100%125–140 lb vs 102–135 lb
    Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
    81%Moderate
    Jane Doe — Sweetwater, Tennessee
    UP55678 • Found Aug 5, 1983
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 20–30 vs 26 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 86%61 mi away, same state
    TimingFound 14 months after last seen
    Height 100%5'1"–5'7" vs 5'5"–5'6"
    Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
    79%Possible
    Jane Doe — Nauvoo, Alabama
    UP69986 • Found Oct 10, 1984
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 28–42 vs 26 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 66%145 mi away
    TimingFound 2 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'6"–5'7" vs 5'5"–5'6"
    Weight 100%120–130 lb vs 102–135 lb
    Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
    76%Possible
    Jane Doe — Atlanta, Georgia - unidentified case UP623
    Jane Doe — Atlanta, Georgia
    UP623 • Found Jan 13, 1988
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 30–40 vs 26 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 75%102 mi away
    TimingFound 6 years after last seen
    Height 68%5'2" vs 5'5"–5'6"
    Weight 100%105 lb vs 102–135 lb
    Hair 50%Blond vs Brown
    Eyes 100%Green vs Green

    These comparisons are generated automatically from public NamUs case data and are not confirmed identifications. Only DNA, dental or fingerprint comparison by investigators can confirm an identity. If you believe two cases are connected, contact the agency handling the unidentified case.

    Unidentified photos are blurred because many are post-mortem. Tap a photo to reveal it.

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    Forum Posts (1)

    Has anyone else looked into the significance of Joy Diane Cannon’s tattoos? I can’t stop wondering... ...Read More
    02/15/2023

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