The Murdered Tammy Eleene Salyer

The Murdered 
Tammy Eleene Salyer
Bristol, Virginia

💔 The Unsolved Murder of Tammy Eleene Salyer 💔

Tammy Eleene Salyer was an 18 year old from Bristol, Virginia with big dreams and a strong work ethic. Tammy hoped to one day get married, raise a large family, and even own her own franchise. She had already purchased her own red Chevrolet Sprint with money she earned working at Burger King and was moving toward a management position. Known for her warm personality, Tammy loved family reunions, meeting new people at work, caring for children and the elderly, and doting on her beloved cat, Socks.
On the night of February 27, 1990, Tammy left her job in Bristol, Tennessee, at around 11:50 p.m., driving home as she had done many times before. She entered northbound Interstate 81 at the 381 interchange in Bristol, Virginia. Just a short distance from her usual exit near the seven-mile marker, tragedy struck. A bullet pierced the driver’s side window, fatally striking her. The car veered across the northbound lanes, crossed the median into the southbound lanes, sideswiped a highway marker post and a tree, and ultimately came to rest against a barrier fence.
  At approximately 12:15 a.m. on February 28, 1990, police responded to reports of what initially appeared to be a traffic accident. Officers found the vehicle with the engine still running and Tammy slumped over in the driver’s seat. She had been shot once in the head and was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. The scene was first investigated as an accident until a bullet casing was discovered in the backseat, revealing the horrifying truth, Tammy had been the victim of a homicide.
Despite investigative efforts, little physical evidence was recovered, and the case eventually went cold. Authorities later noted similarities between Tammy’s death and other random highway shootings across multiple states, raising the possibility that a serial offender may have been responsible. Former Bristol Police Chief Tom Stone once stated that the randomness and lack of pattern suggested someone who struck without rhyme or reason.

Tammy’s sister, Teresa, refuses to give up hope, preserving newspaper clippings and memories while holding onto the belief that answers will one day come. Tammy Salyer’s life was full of promise, kindness, and ambition, a future stolen in an instant. Her case remains unsolved. 

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Bristol Police Department at 276-645-7400. 🕊️

Sources:
Tammy Eleene Salyer- Bristol Police Department – 2475-90 – Bristol Police Department 
Tammy Salyer – Project: Cold Case 
VIRGINIA TEEN WAS KILLED ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. 32 YEARS LATER, THE MURDER REMAINS UNSOLVED. | Investigation Digest 
Murdered: Tammy Salyer | Bristol, VA | Uncovered