Joy was last seen in Maplewood, Minnesota on July 1, 1994. She told a friend she was going to meet with a new acquaintance who would show her a car she was considering buying. She has never been heard from again.

Joy was born and raised on the East Coast of the U.S. She lived with her aunt and other relatives in New Jersey after her mother died when she was thirteen. At the time of her disappearance, her toddler-aged son lived with his father. She worked as a convenience store clerk up until about two weeks before she vanished. Authorities stated they believed she'd left of her own accord, possibly to go back to the East Coast, but her aunt doubted this theory. Joy's aunt stated her niece left money behind in a trust fund and never touched it. She also left all her belongings, including her two pet cats, behind at her apartment; only her keys were missing.

The circumstances of Joy's disappearance are unclear; her case remains unsolved.