KY KY - Joe Merral "Joey" Puckett, 15, Paducah, 1 May 1985

[Gardener1850]

Missing Person / NamUs #MP7826
Joe Merral Puckett
Nickname/Alias: Joey

Male, White / Caucasian
Height 5' 3" - 5' 5" (63 - 65 Inches)
Weight 110 - 120 lbs

Hair Color Brown
Head Hair Description light brown, Short, thick
Facial Hair Description mustache
Eye Color Green

Scar/mark
scars on wrists and arms

Tattoo
Mom" and a set of cherries on shoulder.
Thriller on buttocks
heart with arrow on right hand.

Circumstances
Date of Last Contact May 1, 1985
NamUs Case Created August 3, 2010
Last Known Location Map
Location Paducah, Kentucky
McCracken County

Circumstances of Disappearance
He walked into the BFW on Washington St. where his mom worked, borrowed $20 from her. They got into a verbal argument, he came back 20 minutes later, bringing $10 back, and hasn't been seen since.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[SAMS]

What was the argument about? Did he live with mom?

 

[JSolt1210]

According to his page on the Charley Project, "Joe has scars on his arms and wrists from self-inflicted cuts. He has multiple tattoos, all homemade in greenish ink, including the word "Mom" and cherries on his shoulder, the word "Thriller" on his buttocks, and a heart with an arrow through it on his right hand. He had a mustache at the time of his disappearance." (BBM)

The cutting and homemade tattoos, which I'm sure hurt more than professional ones, make it sound like he was into inflicting pain on himself, suggesting emotional disturbance or instability.

What was the average price for a bus ticket in the 1980s? I find it interesting that he borrowed $20 from his mom, had the argument which made him leave, then returned with only half the money. In the fit of anger and possibly other emotional issues, could he have bought a one-way ticket out of town, and then returned to give his mom the change, his own way of saying "I don't want any more from you"?

 

[MadMcGoo]

Joe Merral Puckett – The Charley Project

 

[MadMcGoo]

I found a “Joie Puckett” in the 1984 North Bullitt High School yearbook. It looks like him but I can’t be certain. I wonder if that’s a typo or his nickname could be spelt that way?

 

[Alysonbrooke]

I found a “Joie Puckett” in the 1984 North Bullitt High School yearbook. It looks like him but I can’t be certain. I wonder if that’s a typo or his nickname could be spelt that way?

I have been trying to find this yearbook you are talking about but I cannot find it. You don’t happen to have the picture do you

 

[ep1999]

I found a “Joie Puckett” in the 1984 North Bullitt High School yearbook. It looks like him but I can’t be certain. I wonder if that’s a typo or his nickname could be spelt that way?

Hi, I don't think it's the same person. Joie Puckett is also in the 1986 North Bullitt yearbook, which came out after Joey disappeared.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Hi, I don't think it's the same person. Joie Puckett is also in the 1986 North Bullitt yearbook, which came out after Joey disappeared.

Thank you! I don’t think I even checked other yearbooks for that name.

Hope this helps @Alysonbrooke!

 

[Atombudd]

Joey went to Paducah Tilghman High School.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Joey went to Paducah Tilghman High School.

Thanks for the info! I’m curious what your source is?

 

[Atombudd]

Thanks for the info! I’m curious what your source is?

I have been speaking with his sister who would like to find answers. DNA is on file with the Kentucky State Police. A missing person case on Joey was not opened until about 2 years ago. His parents were divorced Joey lived in Paducah KY and his sister lived in Knoxville TN. Joey would hitchhike to and from those areas. His sister has put me in touch with his cousin to whom he was close. I will be speaking to her soon to gather more information. I have shared this thread with Joey's sister. I did look through the KY and TN unidentified but didn't see a match, however I don't have a lot of experience in comparing. Could definitely use some help in that department.

 

[MadMcGoo]

I have been speaking with his sister who would like to find answers. DNA is on file with the Kentucky State Police. A missing person case on Joey was not opened until about 2 years ago. His parents were divorced Joey lived in Paducah KY and his sister lived in Knoxville TN. Joey would hitchhike to and from those areas. His sister has put me in touch with his cousin to whom he was close. I will be speaking to her soon to gather more information. I have shared this thread with Joey's sister. I did look through the KY and TN unidentified but didn't see a match, however I don't have a lot of experience in comparing. Could definitely use some help in that department.

Thanks so much! I hope is family can find answers. I’ll keep an eye out for Joey in both KY and TN.

 

[LucyOso]

Following

 

[Beccalicious]

Bumping

 

[Atombudd]

Joe's sister said that Joe would often hitchhike from Paducah KY to Knoxville TN. Is there anyone that knows this area and that might be able to connect his disappearance to any suspects that may have been known to pick up hitchhikers in 1985?

 

[hapka77]

This might be a long-shot, if Joe was indeed headed to TN. But unidentified remains, #UP114368, found in Lebanon, KY November 20, 1990. Unfortunarly, it was only a left foot so very little could be discerned from it, but it's believed to be that of a Late Teen/Young Adult, gender unclear. It should be nated, per the NAMUS page, "Anthropologist believes these are remains of a white female, around age 15 who might have worn copper bracelet and was right handed. Foot measured 9" from heel to toe." With that said, establishing the sex of full skeletons is an imperfect art, nevermind trying to discern the sex from a left foot. There are curretnly no exclusions listed for #UP114368 on NAMUS

 

[Atombudd]

This might be a long-shot, if Joe was indeed headed to TN. But unidentified remains, #UP114368, found in Lebanon, KY November 20, 1990. Unfortunarly, it was only a left foot so very little could be discerned from it, but it's believed to be that of a Late Teen/Young Adult, gender unclear. It should be nated, per the NAMUS page, "Anthropologist believes these are remains of a white female, around age 15 who might have worn copper bracelet and was right handed. Foot measured 9" from heel to toe." With that said, establishing the sex of full skeletons is an imperfect art, nevermind trying to discern the sex from a left foot. There are curretnly no exclusions listed for #UP114368 on NAMUS

Thank you, going to check it out and reach out to his sister. I'll keep you posted. Thank you for your help.

 

[Caring1]

Might be one to take a look at. Unidentified male looks quite young although he was found in Chicago so not sure but it was just a few months later.

He had short brown hair and green eyes.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

 

[spartanx]

According to his page on the Charley Project, "Joe has scars on his arms and wrists from self-inflicted cuts. He has multiple tattoos, all homemade in greenish ink, including the word "Mom" and cherries on his shoulder, the word "Thriller" on his buttocks, and a heart with an arrow through it on his right hand. He had a mustache at the time of his disappearance." (BBM)

The cutting and homemade tattoos, which I'm sure hurt more than professional ones, make it sound like he was into inflicting pain on himself, suggesting emotional disturbance or instability.

What was the average price for a bus ticket in the 1980s? I find it interesting that he borrowed $20 from his mom, had the argument which made him leave, then returned with only half the money. In the fit of anger and possibly other emotional issues, could he have bought a one-way ticket out of town, and then returned to give his mom the change, his own way of saying "I don't want any more from you"?

I totally agree... I know that it bothers some people but I think he was also searching for his identity... he was probably homosexual... maybe his mother knew and didn't accept him... maybe the money was to go see a "special" friend and she didn't accept him... but as you say, did he live with her?
whatever the case
rest in peace

 

[JSolt1210]

The Kentucky State Police posted the following to their official Facebook page on February 3, 2023:

"In 1984, when Joe was 14, he argued with his mother. After that, Joe was never seen or heard from again. It's believed that he hitch-hiked to Knoxville, TN. His disappearance was never reported until 2019 by his half-sister. There have been no leads in this investigation since then."

Before I comment on the obvious, I wonder if the year is a typo and they really meant "2009" since Joe's Namus case was created in 2010.

However, the Doe Network confirms that he "was never reported as missing to law enforcement."

So why was he never reported missing? There's a reason given that I can't comment on here, but suffice it to say that I find it frustrating that the report was made almost 25 years after he disappeared. How many leads could've been investigated during that time period if LE had known about this case?