Top 10 Unsolved Cold Cases in Tennessee
These Cases Baffle Investigators
🔍 Top 10 Unsolved Cold Cases in Tennessee 🕯️
Tennessee is no stranger to mystery. Amid its scenic beauty and Southern charm lie stories that remain hauntingly unresolved. These 10 cold cases, spanning decades, continue to baffle investigators and devastate families. Each one represents a life lost and a mystery begging to be solved. 🧩
1. The Redhead Murders 🔴🛣️
Between the late 1970s and early 1990s, a chilling pattern emerged across the southeastern United States, including Tennessee. Multiple red-haired women were found murdered and discarded near highways, most of them unidentified at the time. These deaths became known as the "Redhead Murders," and one victim, Tina McKenney-Farmer, was discovered on New Year’s Day 1985 in Campbell County, TN. She had been strangled and dumped like trash along Interstate 75.
In an unexpected twist, high school students from Elizabethton, Tennessee, reignited interest in the case in 2018. Their research revealed alarming consistencies: the victims' hair color, lack of identification, and proximity to major roads. Their work led to one victim being identified, bringing a glimmer of hope.
Despite renewed interest, the killer remains unknown. Theories abound about a long-haul trucker preying on vulnerable women. The Redhead Murders highlight the need for inter-agency collaboration and advancements in forensic technology to give the voiceless back their identities—and justice. 🚚💔🧬
2. Peggy Cox – Franklin, TN (1991) 🍔🎙️
Peggy Cox, a devoted mother, was working the drive-thru at Hardee’s on February 1, 1991—her son’s birthday. At around midnight, she took an order over the speaker. As she handed out the food, a single gunshot rang out. Peggy was killed instantly.
The shooting appeared targeted, but no motive ever materialized. The FBI joined the case and has offered a $15,000 reward for information. They even re-released her audio recording in hopes someone might recognize the killer’s voice.
More than 30 years later, Peggy's son still remembers that night vividly. The unanswered questions torment him: Was it random? Was it personal? Someone out there knows. Peggy’s story is a reminder that justice delayed is not justice denied. 🔫📻🕯️
3. Karen Swift – Dyer County (2011) 🎃🚗
On the night before Halloween 2011, 44-year-old Karen Swift attended a party in Dyersburg. She returned home but vanished hours later. Her car was found with a flat tire near her home, and six weeks later, her body turned up near Bledsoe Cemetery.
Blunt force trauma was the cause of death. Years passed with no arrests until 2022, when her estranged husband David Swift was indicted for murder. The courtroom drama was intense: He was acquitted of first-degree murder in 2024, but a mistrial was declared for voluntary manslaughter.
Karen’s story—of love gone wrong, delayed justice, and courtroom twists—captivated Tennessee and beyond. Her family still fights for a definitive resolution. The truth lies somewhere between the crime scene and the courtroom. ⚖️🌕🕳️
4. Amber Cates – Columbia, TN (2004) 🎒🚘
Sixteen-year-old Amber Cates was last seen on April 11, 2004, when she left her mother’s house with a friend named James Gordon. She was supposed to return in two days—but never came back. For weeks, authorities treated it like a runaway case.
Then it got darker. Gordon said he handed her off to another man, who claimed he left her at a garage to buy hair dye. That was the last time anyone reported seeing her. Amber’s family knew she wouldn’t just disappear. Over the years, $25,000 rewards and media coverage kept her story alive.
Despite everything, Amber has never been found. Her disappearance is a gut-wrenching example of how teenagers, especially girls with troubled pasts, can vanish into the cracks. Someone out there still holds the key. 🧤📱👧
5. Lydia Naomi Gutierrez – Gallatin, TN (2010) 🏡🔪
On August 12, 2010, Lydia Gutierrez was murdered inside her apartment in Gallatin. Her 8-year-old son found her body—stabbed and suffocated—while her toddlers cried nearby. The scene was one of unimaginable horror.
A suspect was arrested shortly after, but charges were dropped due to insufficient evidence. Lydia’s family was devastated—not just by the crime, but by the justice system’s failure to hold someone accountable. Her children, especially the one who found her, still carry the emotional scars.
Years later, the pain remains. Her story reflects how fragile justice can be and how cold cases don't just freeze on paper—they freeze in the hearts of those left behind. 🧸🚼💔
6. Williams Sisters – Knoxville, TN (1987) 👭📺
Suzanne and Patricia Williams, sisters with muscular disabilities, lived quietly in West Knoxville. On December 29, 1987, both were found strangled in their apartment. There were no signs of forced entry, suggesting they knew the killer.
Neighbors recalled nothing unusual. Family and friends were baffled. Police canvassed the area and collected evidence, but nothing definitive surfaced. The sisters, who wore orthopedic braces and lived modestly, didn’t seem to have enemies.
To this day, their murders remain unsolved. The case has seen resurgences of interest, but no resolution. These sisters deserved safety. Instead, their lives ended in terror, and their story remains one of Knoxville’s darkest mysteries. 🧩📼🕸️
7. South Memphis Prostitute Killings (2011) 🛣️💄
In early 2011, fear gripped South Memphis. Three women, all sex workers, were murdered execution-style and left in isolated areas. A fourth woman survived and gave police a description of the attacker.
A composite sketch was released, and for a time, there was hope. But with limited witness cooperation and fear among sex workers, the case stalled. Police suspected a serial offender, possibly connected to other crimes, but they never got a break.
This case highlights the vulnerability of marginalized communities and the importance of protecting all lives equally. These women mattered. Their deaths shouldn’t be forgotten. 💋🚔🗣️
8. Wanda June Anderson – Nashville, TN (1965) 🛏️🕰️
Eleven-year-old Wanda was babysitting when someone entered the home and raped and strangled her. Her family returned to find a nightmare scene. The crime was brutal. The impact on her siblings, who were also present, was profound.
Metro Nashville Police never gave up. Over the years, DNA was recovered, but matches came up empty. The case became Nashville’s oldest open homicide, a grim distinction for a young girl whose life was stolen.
Despite new forensic tools and fresh eyes, no one has been arrested. Wanda's name is still whispered in true crime circles, a ghost calling out from history for justice. 👧🧬📜
9. Michelle Lavone Inman – Cheatham County, TN (1985) 🦴🌲
In 1985, skeletal remains were found along I-24 in Cheatham County. For nearly 40 years, the woman’s identity remained a mystery. No name. No known killer.
Then came forensic genealogy. In 2023, she was identified as Michelle Lavone Inman, a 23-year-old Nashville woman who had vanished. The identification brought joy to her family—but also renewed sorrow and new questions. Who killed her? Why?
Michelle's case is a triumph of science but a reminder that names alone aren’t enough. Her murderer is still out there, and police now need tips more than ever. 🧬🗺️🧩
10. Joshua Lee Walden – Chattanooga, TN (2000) 🌳🧒
Ten-year-old Joshua vanished on December 8, 2000. His body was found two days later in a wooded area, covered in leaves and acid—a chilling attempt to conceal the crime. He died from asphyxiation.
The brutality stunned the Chattanooga community. How could someone harm an innocent child like this? Leads were few, and over time, tips dwindled. Though many suspects were questioned, no arrests were made.
Joshua’s murder haunts the city to this day. His bright smile lives on in photos, but justice has never been served. His killer, incredibly, may still walk free. 👦🧪🕯️
✨ Final Thoughts
These cases are more than stories—they're lives interrupted, justice denied, and families torn apart. If you have any information, contact the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-TBI-FIND. Every detail counts.
Until these cases are solved, their spirits remain with us. 👁️🗨️💔📞