"Cheryl" "Sherry" 1976 Nashville Jane Doe

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

Nashville Metro Police Department (TN)

Recovery Location:

Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee

Summary:

"Cheryl" was a teenager who was found deceased in a river in Nashville, Tennessee in 1976. She may have also gone by the name "Sherry". Following her death under unclear circumstances, a pair of witnesses were located, stating she was traveling alongside a companion to Florida from a treatment facility in Minnesota.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Recovery:

A fisherman discovered the victim's body in the Harpeth River about 200 yards from a bridge on McCrory Creek Road and downstream from a recreational area near the border of Cheatham County. The female had died due to drowning, yet it is unknown if this was accidental or the result of a homicide, as several abrasions were found on her body that may indicate she was held underwater. The victim, possibly named Sherry or Cheryl, had had sexual intercourse within a few days of her death, but it was not known whether she was raped. A man, whose phone number was written on a photograph in the victim's pocket said he and his brother-in-law, who both lived in Nashville at the time, saw the victim 10 days before she was found in the river. He claimed they picked up the victim and her friend on Interstate Highway 24, a slender blond woman, as the two hitchhiked from Nashville. The two, the man claimed, had run away from a mental hospital in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and were headed to Haines City, Florida, to see the blond woman's husband. The victim, the man said, was being treated for alcoholism, while her friend had been suicidal and had visible scars on her wrists. Investigators said the men, who claimed they dropped the women off at Interstate 24's Winchester exit, were questioned but never labeled suspects. The female companion was described to be around the same age with sandy blonde hair and wore wire rim glasses, but was never located or interviewed regarding this decedent.

Additional Details:

Clothing: A white bra and pair of jeans. A blue blouse was discovered in the river the day after the victim's body was discovered, but it is unclear if it belonged to the victim. A document from the office of the Homicide/Cold Case Unit, Metro Nashville Police Department, mentions the blue blouse had polka dots. Jewelry: A rawhide bracelet and a choker-type necklace with beads and a white dove. Additional Personal Items: A photograph of a young blond-haired boy with "Little Charley" and a phone number written on the back was in her back pocket. "Little Charley" was later identified to be a 24-year-old man from Nashville who was not the child in the photograph. She also had a black comb and 1 nickel. Estimated Age: 14-17 years old Race: White and/or Hispanic/ Latino and/or Native American

Case Last Updated:

Oct 04, 2026