In 1978, This Seattle Woman Mysteriously Vanished After Finishing Her Shift As A Ticket Agent At The Sea-Tac Airport
In 1978, Joyce Lee Kennedy worked as a ticket agent at the Sea-Tac airport in Seattle, Washington.
So, on the morning of March 20 that year, the 44-year-old traveled to work just like any other Monday.
But, once Joyce’s shift ended, she just walked away from her counter and was never seen or heard from again.
After she failed to show up for her next shift at work, Pan American airline officials reported her missing. Since then, her strange disappearance has remained puzzling and unsolved.
Two days after Joyce vanished, her car was found abandoned and parked in the airport parking lot’s visitor’s section. The vehicle’s doors were unlocked, and her keys and purse were just sitting on the front seat. But authorities found no evidence of a struggle.
What investigators did learn, however, was that Joyce was supposed to meet up with her ex-husband, John Thomas “Jack” O’Keefe II, on the day of her disappearance. They were reportedly meeting so John could repay a debt owed to Joyce.
The pair had been married from 1972 to 1976. And according to reports, John had a history of abusing Joyce.
So, on the morning of her disappearance, Joyce reached out to her brother, Jack Sparks, and asked if he would go with her to see her ex-husband following her shift. Unfortunately, Joyce’s brother was unavailable and unable to accompany her.
Since she vanished, Joyce’s family believes that her ex-husband killed her and parked her car in the visitor parking lot section to make it seem as though Joyce had left on her own.
x
However, authorities have never charged Joyce’s ex-husband in connection to her case, and he is now deceased.
Joyce’s granddaughter, Tia, has continued searching for answers– creating a blog online in hopes of solving the case.
“Joyce Lee Kennedy is my grandmother on my mom’s side. I never got to meet her because she went missing two years before I was born,” Tia wrote.
“Please join me as I embark on a journey into the history of my grandmother Joyce’s life, disappearance, and hopefully solving her case.”
But unfortunately, the circumstances surrounding Joyce’s disappearance, as well as her whereabouts, remain unknown. And while no one has ever been charged in connection to her disappearance, foul play is suspected in Joyce’s case.
At the time of her disappearance, Joyce was five foot three, weighed 135 pounds, and had red hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing tan slacks, a red blouse, and a gold ring set. Joyce also wore glasses and might have used the surname “O’Keefe.”
If you have any information regarding Joyce’s case, you are urged to contact the Port of Seattle Police Department at (206) 787-5400.
If true crime defines your free time, this is for you: join Chip Chick’s True Crime Tribe
Here’s How You Can Make Your Bedroom Feel Every Bit As Luxurious As A Five-Star Hotel
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
More About:True Crime