Pamela Mitchell Hoy

Do you know who murdered Pamela Mitchell Hoy?
Pamela “Pam” Mitchell Hoy was a creative and outgoing 41-year-old woman, known for her vibrant personality and her passion for raising and showing champion Italian greyhounds. A resident of Burlington, North Carolina, she was a mother to two daughters and had been married to Fred Hoy, a former mayor of the town. Though the couple had recently separated, they remained in each other's lives. Pam grew up in the Greensboro area and was remembered by loved ones as a talented artist who enjoyed painting and making jewelry. Her life was full of activity, centered around her family and her beloved dogs, which she professionally trained and showed at competitions.

On the evening of July 25, 1990, Pam had dinner with her estranged husband at a local restaurant. Afterward, she returned to her home and began packing her gray Dodge van. She was preparing for a trip to a dog show in South Carolina scheduled for the next day and had planned to take her 11-year-old daughter with her. She loaded the van with clothes and dog-grooming equipment, including crates and exercise runs. Before leaving, she went back inside her house to give a magazine to her older daughter. Pam was expected to arrive at her parents' home in Greensboro around 10:30 p.m. that night, but she never made it. Her family reported her missing when she failed to show up.

A few days after she vanished, Pam’s van was discovered abandoned in the parking lot of a motel near the junction of Interstates 40 and 85 in Greensboro. There was no sign of Pam. The search for her continued for five agonizing months, leaving her family and community fearing the worst. Their fears were realized on December 15, 1990, when a hunter discovered her skeletal remains in a densely wooded area off McPherson Road in rural northeastern Guilford County, just a few miles from where her van had been found. An autopsy determined that Pamela Hoy had been murdered, though the specific cause of death was not publicly released.

The investigation into her homicide was launched by the Guilford County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Detectives worked to piece together a timeline of her final hours and identify potential suspects. Over the years, investigators have looked into various leads and persons of interest. At one point, a man suspected in other murders was questioned about his possible involvement in Pam's case, but no charges were ever filed. Despite extensive efforts and the passage of time, the physical evidence collected has not yet led to a breakthrough, and no arrests have been made.

Pam’s family has endured decades of uncertainty and grief, never giving up hope that her killer will be brought to justice. Her mother, in particular, has remained a steadfast advocate for her daughter's case, speaking out over the years in the hope that someone with information will finally come forward. The case has been featured in local media and true-crime podcasts, keeping Pam's story alive and reminding the public that a killer remains free.

More than three decades later, the murder of Pamela Mitchell Hoy is still an active cold case. Investigators with the Guilford County Sheriff's Office and the SBI continue to seek the missing pieces that could solve the puzzle of her death. Advances in forensic science offer new hope that evidence from the scene may one day identify the person responsible. As of January 2023, the case remains unsolved. A reward is available for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department at 336-641-3694 or the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-334-3000.