TERRE HAUTE – On March 31, 2023, at approximately 4:48 P.M., fifty-nine year-old Teresa Joy was reported as a missing person from the Southwood Healthcare Center located at 2222 East Margaret Drive. An employee informed the responding officer that Joy had left the night before at approximately 8:30 P.M. While Joy resided at the facility, the employee told the officer that it was not unusual for her to leave, but that on this occasion she had failed to sign out. The employee further informed the officer that Joy had told another resident bye before leaving in an unknown direction. The initial missing person case was being investigated by Detective Sergeant Adam Loudermilk.

​On April 17, 2023, at approximately 9:19 A.M., a crew hired to cut the grass at 1600 Lockport reported locating what they believed to be was a human body in a wooded area on the partially fenced in property. Officers arrived and located what appeared to be a female body in an advance state of decomposition. Detectives and the Vigo County Coroner’s Office were called to the scene to process the surrounding area and body. At approximately 3:00 P.M., an autopsy was conducted and items were collected for further laboratory testing. While the initial autopsy provided no obvious signs of a homicide, other testing is pending review by the coroner’s office.

​While being called to the scene at 1600 Lockport, Detective Justin Gant learned from Sergeant Loudermilk the details of his missing person case. While much of what has been observed and documented suggests a strong connection between Teresa Joy and the body discovered on Lockport, the advanced state of decomposition has required that DNA testing be completed to confirm the identity of the deceased. Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Detective Gant at (812) 244-2651.