Diane Hollins, 31, & Daughter Tammy, 14: Vanished While On A Walk In 1979
Tammy's remains were later identified, but Diane is still missing.
We may never know what really happened to 31-year-old Diane Hollins and her 14-year-old daughter, Tammy. It was June 9, 1979 (some reports say June 11), in Daytona Beach, Florida, when the pair was seen by one of their neighbors walking down International Speedway Boulevard. It was early in the day, around 6:00 a.m., and the mother-daughter duo's destination was unknown.
Diane and Tammy left their personal belongings at home, and there were no large financial transactions suggesting they were traveling. By all accounts, they were expected to return home at any time. That was the last time anyone saw or heard from the mother and the teen.
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People grew concerned about their safety after Diane didn’t show up for work and Tammy never arrived at school. Diane had separated from her husband and Tammy’s father, Alphonso Hollins. The family of three was still living under the same roof.
However, that didn’t stop Diane from dating because her sister, Loretta Robinson, told news reporters that Diane was in a relationship with a “peculiar” man named Ben Ponder.
Two days after Diane and Tammy vanished, Alphonso reported them missing.
Remains Located Years Later
Seven years after the mother and daughter went missing in 1986, human remains were found in Screven County, Georgia. It’s described as a rural area not far from gentile Savannah. A coroner determined that the remains belonged to a woman between 20 and 40, but they could not identify the Jane Doe.
The bones went untouched until 1992, when a forensic pathologist decided to take another look. They changed the age range and said the remains belonged to a girl between 15 and 20. She’d been dead for one to eight years. Investigators believed that they belonged to 14-year-old Tammy Hollins.
Still, DNA wasn’t as advanced as it is now, so it wouldn’t be until 2013 that they would learn the remains found in 1986 were indeed those of the missing teen.
However, Diane Hollins is still missing. Due to the updated status of Tammy’s case, she’s presumed to be dead.
A Suspect In The Case
Ben Ponder, Diane’s boyfriend at the time she vanished, died in 2009. He was the chief suspect in the case, and investigators were able to question him before he passed away. According to reports, he denied involvement in Diane or Tammy’s disappearance. Police believed he was responsible because he had family ties to Screven County, where Tammy’s remains were located.
The Charley Project reports that relatives continue to hope for a resolution.
Diane Hollins: What To Know
When Diane went missing, she was described as being 5 feet 6 inches tall and 135 pounds. She had black/dark brown hair and brown eyes. The clothes she was last wearing is unknown.
Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact the Daytona Beach Police Department at (386) 671-5219 or their local law enforcement agency.
Please share this story regarding Diane Hollins and Tammy Hollins to help bring closure and resolution to their family. They are our sisters, and their lives matter.
Case Number: 79063223
Agency: Daytona Beach Police Department
Phone: (386) 671-5219
Email:
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