‘The unknown is horrible’: Family of missing Nashville woman pleads for answers

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — There are many unanswered questions, as the family of a missing Middle Tennessee woman feels they’ve reached a dead end.

Jennifer Bell was last seen by family in July 2023 but wasn’t reported missing until January 2024 .

“I hope no one’s going to end up like us one day and wondering and searching and have a dead end,” said Lindsey Wood, Bell’s sister.

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In July 2023, Carla Sullivan, Bell’s cousin, said she drove the 38-year-old to meet up with her then-boyfriend who she had been on and off with for a couple of years.

“She got out of my car and got into his vehicle or their vehicle and that was the last time I’ve seen her,” said Sullivan.

“At the end of July, her boyfriend, Jacob, reached out to my mom and said they were in Alabama, which we have no reason why and when he woke up, she had stolen his car,” Wood said.

The car was found hundreds of miles away from Nashville in Lee County, Alabama. However, because of her history and lifestyle, her family wasn’t too concerned, until several months went by.

In January, they filed a missing persons report.

“Unfortunately, the more time that goes in a missing persons case or any homicide case, we lose evidence,” said Elizabeth Mills, Metro Nashville Police Detective.

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Mills is the detective in Bell’s case.

“We have between 500 and 600 missing persons a year, every year, and that’s on top of cold cases,” Mills said.

According to Mills, Bell’s case is now considered a cold case since a year has gone by with no information on where she could be. “It’s a little frustrating when you don’t have a lot of evidence to build a case.”

Mills said Bell’s then-boyfriend was the last person to know her whereabouts. “I’ve tried to talk to him twice and he has declined me both times,” Mills said.

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Currently, Jacob McCord is in Davidson County Jail for several unrelated charges. In April of this year, he was charged with theft of a motor vehicle, possession of fentanyl and several other charges. Detective Mills said he is not considered a suspect in Bell’s case, only a person of interest.

“I feel 100% that he was the last person that saw her,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan and Wood told News 2 that they just want answers. They said Bell was turning her life around and was visiting with her three boys again.

“I hope no family has to go through this because the unknown is horrible. I just hope somebody sees this and decides to do something,” Wood said.

News 2 asked them if they could see any scenario where Bell was still alive. “I really don’t think so, I’ve thought of everything,” Sullivan answered.

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If you have any information please reach out to Nashville Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463 .

The family does have a private cash reward of $5,000 for information on where Bell could be. You can remain anonymous.

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