Tina Caronna, president-elect of Corvette Memphis, left home about mid-day Saturday, Oct. 25, to purchase food and supplies for her local club’s Halloween party that night. It was a routine activity on a beautiful sunny fall day and it was characteristic of Tina that she was involved in doing what she could to make sure fellow Corvette club members had a fun time that night.
It was anything but routine and certainly uncharacteristic when Tina failed to show up with the food at the party location, wasn’t at home and couldn’t be reached on her cell phone. Family and friends knew something was wrong. Tina was someone who never let friends and family down. They knew Tina would go the extra mile for others.
Statistics show that most people who turn up missing have disappeared through their own devices and eventually will come home or call home. In the absence of any clue of foul play, police typically don’t become involved right away when someone is missing.
Tina's friends and family knew, however, that Tina didn't fit the mold and didn't match statistical probabilities. If she was missing and hadn't called, something was very wrong. On Sunday morning, phone calls alerted Corvette friends in the Memphis area to gather at Tina's home with her husband Joe and son Todd, a student at the University of Mississippi.
An effort was made to get the word out that Tina and her truck were missing so that anyone who spotted Tina or the truck would contact them. Stores where Tina was expected to shop were visited. People at those stores were asked if they had seen her. Parking lots at shopping centers and retail stores were searched. Hospitals were asked if they had any Jane Doe patients. Flyers were printed and posted in the vicinity. Media outlets were contacted.
It was clear those involved were searching for a “needle in a haystack,” but something had to be done to find Tina and those who were worried about her couldn’t just sit around and wait.
By Sunday afternoon, police agencies had taken the missing person report and had distributed flyers via e-mail to all of their precincts for distribution to patrol officers.
Night came and Monday dawned with still no word of Tina. Then, what all had feared, but didn’t want to hear was reported. The 2005 black, four-door Chevy Avalanche Tina had left home with forty-four hours earlier had been located 7-1/2 miles from her home on a dead-end street in a nearby suburban area.
Neighbors on the quiet residential street said they had seen the Avalanche parked at the curb Saturday evening about the time the Corvette Memphis Halloween party was to start and about six hours after friends last heard from Tina. Residents who saw the Avalanche assumed it belonged to someone who was visiting a neighbor. When the Avalanche sat unmoved through Sunday night, police were called on Monday morning with a report of an abandoned vehicle.
Although the windows on the Avalanche were tinted pretty darkly, police realized there was a body in the rear passenger area of the truck and the truck was removed to police facilities for a forensic examination and to turn the body over to the medical examiner, who confirmed Tuesday that it was Tina.
Some of you know Tina from her participation each year with Joe in the annual St. Jude Corvette Caravan to present the contribution of Corvetteforum members and other Corvette enthusiasts to the hospital and to let the kids look at and sit in the Corvettes. Joe and Tina have three Corvettes, but they always bring their yellow '69 BB convertible. It's a hit with the St. Jude kids, so we park it close to the hospital entrance for prominent display.
Some of us know Tina as the cheerful, friendly Corvette Memphis club member who always worked hard to make sure others had fun with their Corvettes and that everybody felt welcome at club meetings, events and activities. Tina, who was completing a term as vice president and activities chair of the club, had just been elected as the group’s first woman president.
When Tina was asked to run for president of the club, it wasn't certain she'd accept the additional responsibility, but as Joe has said, Tina never tells anyone, no, when they ask her to do something.
Tina also was an executive in the Memphis office of Cantor Fitzgerald, the mother of a college student and a friend to anyone who needed a friend.
None of us understands how this tragedy occurred, why it happened and who would have done anything like this to Tina. At this time, there are more questions than there are answers, of course. Homicide detectives of the Bartlett Police Department are working to get answers to all the questions.
As we know more information, we’ll share it. Meanwhile your thoughts and prayers are needed by Joe, Todd, family members and friends.
We commend to God the soul of our Corvette sister.
Thank you for the write up and some of the details!!!
I had the pleasure of meeting this wonderful lady about a 1 1/2 years ago. It was at a Corvette Memphis gathering at the Hooters near Wolfchase mall. She had a joy in her heart like no other. She was so friendly by walking up and introducing herself to my wife and I. She talked with us for a long while. I last saw her and spoke to her at this years St.Jude presentation. She was a amazing woman that loved people. I can not imgine what kind of sick person would take her away from her family and friends. I hope they are caught and true justice will be served.
I pray for Joe, Todd, her family and friends. lso pray for the Corvette Memphis family as well!!
Thanks to all you guys it is really hard right now and we are working through it together. We will get through it with help from others and see that someone is brought to justice. Thanks again Steve Corvettes of Memphis
Family members have offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person/s responsible for killing Tina Caronna. Anyone with any information should contact Crimestoppers:
My thoughts and Prayers go out to her husband, family and all her friends at Corvettes of Memphis
I only hope that whoever is responsible is brought to justice.
My deepest sympathy to her family, I can't imagine what they are going through right now.
I pray for them, and I pray for the police to catch who is responsible for this horrible crime and bring them to justice.
For those of you in the Memphis area, visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, Forest Hill Funeral Home-East, 2440 Whitten Road, Memphis.
Funeral at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, Hope Presbyterian Church, 8500 Walnut Grove Rd., Memphis.
Those attending with Corvettes will be grouped together for the procession from the church to Forest Hill-East for burial.
Corvette Store
R.I.P. – Tina Coronna – 1964-2008
