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Hill, a resident of Middlesboro, was officially reported missing at 10 a.m. on Thursday, April 24, by the Middlesboro Police Department (MPD) and just a few hours later it was reported that her white Ford Taurus was found on a back road in the Tackett Creek area of Claiborne County, Tenn.
Detective Joe Holder, with the MPD, said an engineer from Appolo Fuels Inc. called the MPD and reported seeing a vehicle that matched the description of Hill’s Taurus unoccupied on the side of the road.
Because the vehicle was located in Tennessee Holder called Claiborne County Sheriff David Ray to meet him at the scene.
Holder was the first to arrive at the scene. He observed a white Taurus that matched the description of Hill’s car sitting in the road. Holder immediately opened the trunk of the car and investigated the car’s interior to confirm that the car was in fact unoccupied. He also surveyed the surrounding area and found several items which were later confirmed as being Hill’s.
The items strewn about outside the car included a pair of women’s shoes, a handbag, a digital camera and a set of car keys.
Ray arrived and secured the scene then called for the Ky. Department of Corrections to bring their K-9 unit to search the area. The Bell County Rescue Squad and Claiborne County Rescue Squad were both already on scene assisting in the investigation.
Once the K-9 unit arrived they tracked a scent from the car to a creek down the hill where Hill’s body was found lying face up in the middle of the creek. Signs of disturbed ground indicated Hill had traveled down the hill from her car. Only one set of foot prints were found.
The members of the Claiborne County Rescue Squad carried Hill’s body to their vehicle and just before placing her inside Chris Nunley led the group in prayer.
According to Ray, this is a customary practice with every recovery and oftentimes they have a prayer service before they ever even move the body.
Hill’s body was transported to Claiborne County Hospital where medical examiner Dr. Carroll Rose was to do an examination and determine if an autopsy will be needed.
According to the MPD Hill had been missing since she left her home in Schultz Heights in Middlesboro around 10 a.m. on Tuesday, driving a 1999 white Ford Taurus. She was last seen by her family when she stopped at a family member’s home on 41st Street and Winchester Avenue and asked for a drink of water. The family member stated that when she went inside to get the water Hill drove off toward Winchester Avenue.
Also on Tuesday around noon a coal truck driver said he saw a female matching the description of Hill outside of her car in Tackett Creek and that she seemed disoriented and confused. According to the MPD the trucker stated that he found her keys lying outside the vehicle. He said he managed to get her turned back around and back onto Winchester Ave.
“She was parked somewhere that was so narrow the trucker could not get around her. She’s been so disoriented, she hadn’t slept in 4 nights,” said Sherri Alvarado, Hill’s daughter.
A number of Hill’s family members were at the scene in hopes Hill would be found alive.
According to family members Hill had several medical problems that caused her to be “physically sick” and very weak. Alvarado, her daughter, stated that Hill suffered Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and that over the last few days she had “seemed very disoriented and confused.”
The family members at the scene were understandably distraught when they received the news that Hill had been located.
The Claiborne County Sheriff’s office is in charge of the investigation. Ray says as of now there is nothing to indicate foul play and he expects she died of natural causes.
Also assisting in the investigation were officers from the Middlesboro Police Department, officers from the Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office, the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation and Howard Engineering & Geology.
Andrea Schneider is a Staff Writer with the Daily News. She can be reached via e-mail at aschneider@middlesborodailynews.com. Tabitha Webb is a Staff Writer and Webmaster with the Daily News. She can be reached via e-mail at twebb@middlesborodailynews.com.
Photo: Rescue and law enforcement officials bring the body of Billie Jean Hill up from where it was found Thursday afternoon. Hill had been missing since Tuesday. (ANDREA SCHNEIDER/Daily News)
Photo: MPD Detective Joe Holder and Sergeant Tom Busic worked with Claiborne County Sheriff David Ray to collect several items of evidence that surrounded the car of Billie Jean Hill, whose body was recovered two days after she had gone missing. (ANDREA SCHNEIDER/Daily News)
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