Missing
Donnie Lee Payne
Payne, approximately 2008; Payne's dog
Date and time person was reported missing : 09/14/2008
Missing location (approx) :
Cleveland, Tennessee
Missing classification : Endangered Missing
Gender : Male
Ethnicity :
White
DOB : 02/27/1935 (86)
Age at the time of disappearance: 73 years old
Height / Weight : 5'10, 125 pounds
Description, clothing, jewerly and more : Unknown, but he usually wears a flannel shirt, dark-colored jeans or golf pants, and a fishing hat with a brim.
Medical conditions : Payne was in poor health at the time of his disappearance.
Distinguishing characteristics, birthmarks, tattoos
: Caucasian male. Graying brown hair, brown eyes.
Information on the case from local sources, may or may not be correct : Payne was last seen collecting cans from a dumpster at the Ocoee VillAge at the time of disappearance: Apartments in Cleveland, Tennessee on September 14, 2008. He was accompanied by his dog, a Jack Russell Terrier. A photo of the dog is posted with this case summary. He has never been heard from again.
Payne lived off Lowery Street in Bradley County, Tennessee at the time of his disappearance. The windows and doors at his home were left open, and his cellular phone has been turned off since he went missing.
Later in the day on September 14, Payne's dog was found dead on Highway 64. It had been struck by a car.
Payne enjoys camping and fishing. He frequently fished in Price Creek, which is part of the Hiwassee River. He does not drive and he wasn't carrying any identification at the time of his disappearance. He frequently walked along with his dog picking up cans to turn in for cash. His wheelbarrow, which he used to carry the cans, was found parked near where he was last seen.
Payne's loved ones believe he is deceased. His case remains unsolved.
Other information and links : ncy
Bradley County Sheriff's Office
423-728-7336
September 2021 updates and sources
Project Jason
WRCB TV 3
News Channel 9
Bradley County Sheriff's Office
Someone is Missing
A missing person is a person who has disappeared and whose status as alive or dead cannot be confirmed as their location and condition are not known. A person may go missing through a voluntary disappearance, or else due to an accident, crime, death in a location where they cannot be found (such as at sea), or many other reasons. In most parts of the world, a missing person will usually be found quickly. While criminal abductions are some of the most widely reported missing person cases, these account for only 2�5% of missing children in Europe.
By contrast, some missing person cases remain unresolved for many years. Laws related to these cases are often complex since, in many jurisdictions, relatives and third parties may not deal with a person's assets until their death is considered proven by law and a formal death certificate issued. The situation, uncertainties, and lack of closure or a funeral resulting when a person goes missing may be extremely painful with long-lasting effects on family and friends.
Several organizations seek to connect, share best practices, and disseminate information and imAge at the time of disappearance: s of missing children to improve the effectiveness of missing children investigations, including the International Commission on Missing Persons, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), as well as national organizations, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in the US, Missing People in the UK, Child Focus in Belgium, and The Smile of the Child in Greece.
The Cleveland Daily Banner
Interactive Missing Person Search Map
