TN TN - Jennifer Wyant, 21, Nashville, 28 June 1980

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/26dftn.html

Jennifer Wyant has been missing since June 28, 1980 from her Tanglewood apartment in Nashville, Davidson County, TN. She was never seen or heard from again. Her car was found in the apartment parking lot. Foul play is suspected.

Jennifer was 5'3'', 125 pounds, with long brown hair and brown eyes. She was 21 years old at the time of her disappearance.

Does anyone have any access to newspaper articles surrounding this disappearance or have any other info?

We have wondered for years about Jennifer, any updates at all? Last we heard and never got confirmation was they found her driver's license but not Jennifer?

I don't know anything about her case beyond what's on the Nashville PD website -- that is to say, very little.

I sent an email to another friend who lived close to Jennifer's mother. She said she had not heard anything in over 10 yrs. She said Jennifer's mother was in Real Estate now and I just wonder if she would mind if we contacted her to see if she has any newspaper articles?


I really think this is a place to share the info and help try to solve some of these cold case's.

I know I would not mind a bit contacting Beth Twitty (Natalee's mother) if it had been over 10 yrs and I had found a place that might could help. I see the pain Beth has and just feel for anyone out here who has lost a loved one and has no answers.

Beachcares,
I am so excited that you provide a connection to Jennifer Wyant's cold case. It has puzzled me for years. If you have read some of my posts you probably know why. I had a family member abducted and killed. But they were fortunate enough to find the murderer fairly soon (two-ish years) after the event. My sincere sympathy to Jennifer's family!! My heart goes out to them. Please let them know that their friends on Websleuths care!

In response to your post Beachcares, unfortunately I haven't obtained any further information than you see here on WS. Although I have traveled to Nashville and obtained newspaper articles from the state library and archives in the recent past for other purposes than this case, I haven't had the opportunity to go for researching specifically on Jennifer's case yet.

The articles from that time frame are not indexed, so you need to have certain dates in mind if you go there looking for information. I picked dates that I thought might have articles when I researched a cold case there last, and pulled the newspapers on micrifilm. It takes time to read through without an index. But it's incredibly fun. You get a real feel for the time frame of the crime/disappearance---ads, movies, concerts etc. that were popular then. I highly recommend it if you have the time. It's very rewarding. And I must add that the staff there are so helpful and friendly.

Actual information from the family of Jennifer Wyant would be very interesting to me. I know it's sometimes hard bringing out the past for victim's family members. I believe chances are they really will want to talk about it. At least I hope so.

Next time I'm there, I have three names that I would like to research including Jennifer's. Any information otherwise obtained is VERY MUCH appreciated. If you don't feel comfortable asking specific questions of Jennifer's family, maybe just passing along the information you have read and let them know the case is open for discussion here and we DO CARE about the families of victims, as well as the facts of the case. Encourage them to contact us directly or (again only if you feel comfortable) offer to relay information. I'll keep my fingers crossed that they either post or talk with you.

It's interesting that Jennifer's driver's license was found. Was that found in her purse in the car? Do you know? I found some information out regarding another case I'm interested in (FL) in which someone was abducted from the alcove of an apartment building. I would like more information about Jennifer's disappearance to see if there are any other similarities.

It's so great to have discussion on Jennifer---thank you sooo much!

Sincerely,

So good to hear from you Mullins. My thoughts are with you as well. I lost a brother and sister but not to murder. I want to help anyone who has lost a loved one. I want to make my goal in life to help others if possible.

I found Jennifer's family and I am going to call today so wish me luck. I just don't want to hurt anyone, I feel this can only help.

When you mentioned that murder in Florida, do you mean the similar w/Jennifer's case? WOW....that would be awsome if you have found some kind of connection.

If you will let me know the 3 people you are interested in talking to, I might know them.

I did not know Jennifer personally, but knew alot of people that did know her. She hung out alot of places that I did back then and it makes us all realize how close we were to something happening to us. I would never go anywhere alone and I do think if people will go in "pairs" or group place's they might be safer...Just my opinion.

Please accept my sympathies on your loss. Your dedication of time to cold cases is admirable--thanks for taking time to talk about Jennifer. You will find a PM regarding some other info. If anyone on this thread requests info regarding the PM, I think it's ok to post it. I just didn't want to bring the names of too many other cases onto Jennifer's thread. But if anyone asks, the info I passed along has all been documented through newspapers, etc.

The three names are: Jennifer Wyant, Shannon Lee Elmore, and Tanya Lynn Rogers. (Shannon and Tanya both went missing in February of 1980 (I think I need to revisit that thread--could be 79) -- you can check the thread on them it's quite a way back in the cold case forum. Anyway, I found the article where they had been missing for several weeks and at first were suspected runaways but the police were beginning to think foul play was involved. They were last seen at an auto show. I can try to fax the articles to you if it would help.

Thanks and good luck!!!

http://www.doenetwork.us/hot/hotcase76.html

I know there's no pic but it seems plausible that it could be Jennifer....any other thoughts?

I just contacted Jennifer's sister and told her to come here and check this out. If anyone has any information, please post it so it can help the family. Thanks!

Mullins said:

http://www.doenetwork.us/hot/hotcase76.html

I know there's no pic but it seems plausible that it could be Jennifer....any other thoughts?

Click to expand...

In that article it says this girl probably was killed years before being found in 1981 so that would eliminate it from being Jennifer?

You are probably right, but it's the closest thing I've seen to Jennifer so far on Doe network. The height and hair color seem to be correct. Also, I thought I read that the estimated date of death of the TX Doe was 1-5 years prior to the discovery of the TX Doe. I was thinking that might be a possibility because if it is closer to one year it would fall into the time frame that Jennifer was first missing...but as someone else pointed out, the dentals probably didn't pan out because both had dentals available. At any rate I did turn it into the Nashville missing persons via email just to be sure. I sure hope we can obtain some more info on Jennifer.

This is information that I have found helpful. (Thanks MarylandMissing!) I did refer to this information in searching for possible matches to Jennifer.

A quote from another thread, posted by MarylandMissing:
QUOTE: "For awhile I was doing a little research on the cases that were solved by the DoeNetwork and what went wrong. Did a little presentation on this once for law enforcement...What I've seen continually is this:

A. Number one reason is age estimations of the unknown are off. Police may be searching for someone 20-25 when the missing person is 35, and therefore they won't get a hit through NCIC on it.
B. Person isn't reported missing. We've had several at Doe who were never reported missing, but family came to the site for assistance. Various reasons - missing was in trouble with the law, family was estranged and not allowed 'legally' to report the person missing, prime suspect is the one who didn't report them missing, or they were ignorant on how to report a person missing or if the report was still active.
C. Missing was not from the US
D. Foster child who ran more than several states over.
E. AFIS and DNA didn't exist. Florida and other states have cleared up a dozen or so UNID cases by rerunning fingerprints (many didn't have access to national fingerprint databases years ago).
F. Drifters who were reported missing in another state.
G. No one knows exactly when the person went missing, and therefore an estimated date is put into the system. We've seen several cases on Doe where the missing date was July, body found prior, and it matched up.
H. Person disappeared prior to 1985 and the missing person report wasn't in the system anymore."

I just did a search for Jennifer and one place on the police dept says last seen "in" her apartment at Tanglewood. I never heard that so I wonder if that means they talked to someone who really saw her inside?

Also, if she went to a party that night, but her car was in the parking lot, how did she get to the party? WHO did she ride with? or maybe was she already back to her apartment?

I really wish someone who knew this case could answer these questions. It would mean alot on helping to find out what happened. Back in 1980, there was not the internt, tv shows...etc....WE can set into action here what happened and who saw what and maybe, it could help.

I had also read that, beach. I think maybe if the people she left the party with were questioned and told police they had dropped her off at her apartment after leaving the party with her---and each had confirmed the story for the other--- then that's what the police would have on file. Also, maybe another resident from the apartment saw her after she arrived back home. It's so hard to say. But, since her car was at the Tanglewood Apartments, now I am wondering whether or not she drove to the party...I wonder if the party was within walking distance or if she rode with friends? Or did she drive her own car?

Mullins said:

I had also read that, beach. I think maybe if the people she left the party with were questioned and told police they had dropped her off at her apartment after leaving the party with her---and each had confirmed the story for the other--- then that's what the police would have on file. Also, maybe another resident from the apartment saw her after she arrived back home. It's so hard to say. But, since her car was at the Tanglewood Apartments, now I am wondering whether or not she drove to the party...I wonder if the party was within walking distance or if she rode with friends? Or did she drive her own car?

Click to expand...

She lived at Tanglewood Apartments on Harding Place. The softball party's were held at different apartments in that area that were in the league. The apartments at Hickory Hollow area were approx 4-5 miles from her apartment. There were some in the Tanglewood area, Harding Place had a complex that changed into CONDOs soon after 1980, Candlewood was not far, Gazbo is where I thought the party was that night but that again was never confirmed. It is approx 3 miles from Tanglewood so in my opinion, she needed to have a ride. I recall several people from Tanglewood that were on the softball team so she could have got a ride from anyone.

I just hope someone gives more info...putting heads together works.

Since there was not a Yahoo Group that I saw, I added one today and lets see if anyone can post any information to help. I will also refer them back here if they show up there. Everyone interested is welcome to join. I just hope this brings closure to this case.


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jenniferwyant/

That is a good idea, and I hope we hear some news. Thanks!

beachcares2 said:

Since there was not a Yahoo Group that I saw, I added one today and lets see if anyone can post any information to help. I will also refer them back here if they show up there. Everyone interested is welcome to join. I just hope this brings closure to this case.


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jenniferwyant/

Click to expand...

This internet sure make's the world much smaller..I lived in Nashville around that time I think I moved to West Virgina close to 2 month's before this happened. I only lived there less than a year I remember I lived close to Bradley Parkway because I got busted for speeding in a 1969 Chevy Camaro RS on that road, old car ran real good..I saw where this girl was missing a couple year's ago but i not seen nothing new on her case from that time to the present..

welder 79 said:

This internet sure make's the world much smaller..I lived in Nashville around that time I think I moved to West Virgina close to 2 month's before this happened. I only lived there less than a year I remember I lived close to Bradley Parkway because I got busted for speeding in a 1969 Chevy Camaro RS on that road, old car ran real good..I saw where this girl was missing a couple year's ago but i not seen nothing new on her case from that time to the present..

Click to expand...

Did you mean Briley Parkway is where you lived close to?

Jennifer Wyant, 21, Missing since June 28, 1980 from Nashville, TN
---------------------------------------------------------------

Jennifer Wyant
Missing since June 28, 1980 from Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee.
Classification: Involuntary

Vital Statistics
Date Of Birth: December 3, 1958
Age at Time of Disappearance: 21 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'3, 125 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Long brown hair; brown eyes.
Dentals: Available

Circumstances of Disappearance
Wyant disappeared from her residence in Tanglewood Apartments in Nashville, TN on June 28, 1980. She was never seen or heard from again.
Her car was found in the apartment complex parking lot. Foul play is suspected.

Investigators
If you have any information on this case, please contact:
Metro Nashville Police Department Detective Clinton Vogel 615-862-7557;
615-862-7546;
OR
615-74-CRIME
E-Mail:
missing_persons@police.nashville.org
All tips can submitted anonymously.

NCIC Number: M-096096672
Please refer to this number when contacting any agency in regards to this case.

Source Information:
Metro Nashville Police Department
The Doe Network: Case File 26DFTN

LINK:
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/26dftn.html