Joyce and her older sister, Josephine, were staying at family friend's apartment in Norman, Oklahoma. The individual reported the sisters' disappearance on October 2, 1983. He claimed that he was out that day and Josephine and Joyce were supposed to go to the library, and when he came home they were gone. They have never been heard from again.

All their belongings were left behind. Investigators initially believed they'd run away from home, but as time passed without anyone seeing or hearing from the sisters, they began to suspect foul play.