JUDY DIANE HIGGINS HUGHES

Judy Hughes' sister reported her missing on January 29, 1989.  Judy and her husband had been divorced for four years but continued to live together on Childress Hollow Road in Chickamauga, Georgia. 

On February 12, 1989, a woman's leg was found floating in the Tennessee River. 

Two days later, on Valentine's Day, Judy's ex-husband, James Hughes, was stabbed several times in the stomach. He tried to drive himself to an emergency room but crashed his car on Highway 153. When emergency responders arrived on scene at the wreck, they found him with a butcher knife still in his abdomen.  

A month and a half later, on April 1, 1989, men who were working on a boat found a torso floating in the Tennessee River near Suck Creek.  Forensic tests matched the torso to Judy Hughes. 

Original Investigating Agency: Hamilton County Sheriff's Office

UPDATE: The Cold Case Unit has determined it is most likely Judy was killed in Walker County, GA, and we've notified officials of the Lookout Mountain, GA, Judicial Circuit. We will continue to assist as needed to help bring this case to resolution. 
If you have information on this case, please use the form below or call the cold case hotline:   423-209-7470

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