MISSING: Randy Leach
For over 36 years, the people of Linwood, Kansas, have been asking the same question… what happened to Randy Leach?
Listened to this episode? Let us know what you think here.
Timeline:
6:30-45pm
Randy heads out for the night in his mom’s grey Dodge sedan.
7pm
Randy stops at his cousin’s house.
8:30pm
Randy and his older friend, Steve, drive back to De Soto to look at Randy’s graduation present, an old mustang that is being restored.
9:30-10pm
Randy arrives at the bonfire party.
12:30-1am
Randy is helped back to his car, but he can’t find his keys. A friend agrees to drive him home, but he must first take someone else home.
2am
Randy is seen waiting for the bathroom at the party.
2:30am
The party is over, most patrons have left, and Randy and his car are gone – the friend who meant to take Randy home cannot find him.
6am
Alberta, Randy’s mother, realizes Randy never made it home the night before.
Randy’s parents file a missing persons report.
Randy is declared legally dead.
Randy’s parents sue the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office for records release, but it fails.
Linwood, KS Farm
Where the bonfire party was held.
The Leach Home
Edwardsville Cave
A tipster said he may have seen someone who looked like Randy hanging, dead, in this cave. The statement was later recanted, but the cave was eventually searched.
Please contact the authorities if you have any information:
Kansas Bureau of Investigation
If you know anything about the disappearance of Randy Leach on April 15, 1988, in Linwood, KS, or may have seen his car, a 1985 Dodge 600 sedan with Kansas plate LVJ8721, please contact the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-572-7463.
More information
For more information about Randy and the efforts to find him, please visit InSearchofRandyLeach.com.
The other Randy Leach
To learn more about the other Randy Leach, listen to The Deck’s Randall Leach (4 of Hearts, Idaho)
We’d love to speak with you and see how we can support.
If you’re a law enforcement agency or family member of one of the people we mentioned in this episode, or if you’re looking for more coverage on a case, please reach out. You can email us at:
Episode Source Material
- NBC News/Dateline: Parents of Linwood, Kansas teen Randy Leach continue to fight for answers in his 1988 disappearance from graduation party, by Andrea Cavallier. Published May 15, 2020. Accessed November 1, 2024. https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/parents-linwood-kansas-teen-randy-leach-continue-fight-answers-his-n1207976
- Lawrence Journal-World (Lawrence, KS): Leads dwindling in case of missing Linwood teen. Published May 10, 1988. Accessed November 1, 2024 via Newspaperarchive.com. https://newspaperarchive.com/lawrence-journal-world-may-10-1988-p-10/
- Lawrence Journal-World (Lawrence, KS): What happened to Randy Leach?, by Bonnie Dunham. Published June 26, 1988. Accessed November 4, 2024 via Newspaperarchive.com. https://newspaperarchive.com/lawrence-journal-world-jun-26-1988-p-1/
- The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, KS): Parents, sheriff plan long search, by Bud Norman. Published June 30, 1988. Accessed November 4, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/701843860
- Lawrence Journal-World (Lawrence, KS): 4 months after disappearance, search for young man continues, by Duane Retzlaff. Published August 25, 1988. Accessed November 4, 2024 via Newspaperarchive.com. https://newspaperarchive.com/lawrence-journal-world-aug-25-1988-p-21/
- Lawrence Journal-World (Lawrence, KS): Missing teen becomes a case study, by Bonnie Dunham. Published April 9, 1989. Accessed November 4, 2024 via Newspaperarchive.com. https://newspaperarchive.com/lawrence-journal-world-apr-09-1989-p-1/
- Lawrence Journal-World (Lawrence, KS): After 2 years, parents still seeking answers, by Kirk Kahler. Published April 14, 1990. Accessed November 4, 2024 via Newspaperarchive.com. https://newspaperarchive.com/lawrence-journal-world-apr-14-1990-p-1/
- Bonner Springs-Edwardsville Chieftain (Bonner Springs, KS): Leach unhappy about search for son. Published May 10, 1990. Accessed November 4, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/344730216
- The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, KS): A father’s lament: Is my son dead or alive?, by Lisa Agrimonti. Published May 14, 1990. Accessed November 4, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/696614183
- Bonner Springs-Edwardsville Chieftain (Bonner Springs, KS): Leavenworth County sheriff checks caves. Published August 30, 1990. Accessed November 4, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/344461923
- Lawrence Journal-World (Lawrence, KS): Mysteries multiply in Leach case, by Nancy Price. Published August 5, 1993. Accessed November 5, 2024 via Newspaperarchive.com. https://newspaperarchive.com/lawrence-journal-world-aug-05-1993-p-1/
- Lawrence Journal-World (Lawrence, KS): Information would heal wounds for boy’s parents, by Nancy Price. Published Aoril 11, 1994. Accessed November 5, 2024 via Newspaperarchive.com. https://newspaperarchive.com/lawrence-journal-world-apr-11-1994-p-7/
- Lawrence Journal-World (Lawrence, KS): Parents remain in limbo over son’s disappearance eight years ago, by Ric Anderson. Published August 29, 1996. Accessed November 5, 2024 via Newspaperarchive.com. https://newspaperarchive.com/lawrence-journal-world-aug-29-1996-p-11/
- Lawrence Journal-World (Lawrence, KS): Tormented family’s wish: Lay mystery to rest, by Mike Shields. Published April 12, 1998. Accessed November 6, 2024 via Newspaperarchive.com. https://newspaperarchive.com/lawrence-journal-world-apr-12-1998-p-1/
- Lawrence Journal-World (Lawrence, KS): Authorities revive probe of teen’s ’88 disappearance, by Mike Belt. Published December 10, 2002. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://www2.ljworld.com/news/2002/dec/10/authorities_revive_probe/
- Lawrence Journal-World (Lawrence, KS): 20 years ago, by Karrey Britt. Published April 16, 2008. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/apr/16/20_years_gone/
- The Topeka Capital-Journal (Topeka, KS): Parents frustrated in disappearance case, by Associated Press. Published November 16, 2014. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/state/2014/11/16/parents-frustrated-disappearance-case/16648816007/
- Lawrence Journal-World (Lawrence, KS): Law enforcement’s failure to unseal records, share leads in case deepens family’s grief, by Karen Dillon. Published November 16, 2014. Accessed November 6, 2024 via Newspaperarchive.com. https://newspaperarchive.com/lawrence-journal-world-nov-16-2014-p-1/
- FOX4 (Kansas City, KS): Nearly 30 years after his disappearance, Randy Leach’s family still seeking answers and closure, by Lisa McCormick. Published November 22, 2016. Updated November 23, 2016. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://fox4kc.com/news/nearly-30-years-after-his-disappearance-randy-leachs-family-still-seeking-answers-and-closure
- The Topeka Capital-Journal (Topeka, KS): Parents of missing Kansas teen Randy Leach prepare for civil trial to force document release, by Tim Carpenter. Published October 22, 2017. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/state/2017/10/23/parents-missing-kansas-teen-randy-leach-prepare-civil-trial-force/16523451007/
- The Topeka Capital-Journal (Topeka, KS): Kansas judge to review thousands of pages of records on Randy Leach’s 1988 disappearance, by Steve Fry. Published November 20, 2017. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/crime/2017/11/20/kansas-judge-review-thousands-pages-records-randy-leachs-1988/16519846007/
- The Topeka Capital-Journal (Topeka, KS): Judge denies release of records on Randy Leach’s 1988 disappearance, by Luke Ranker. Published January 29, 2018. Accessed November 6, 2024. https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/crime/2018/01/29/leavenworth-county-judge-denies-release-of-records-on-randy-leachs-1988-disappearance/15379846007/
- KSHB 41 (Kansas City, Missouri) Renewed hope in 36-year-old cold case of missing Linwood teen Randy Leach by Sarah Plake, Lisa McCormick. Published September 23, 2024. Accessed December 2024. https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/investigations/renewed-hope-in-36-year-old-cold-case-of-missing-linwood-teen-randy-leach
- The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Missouri): Beyond ‘Satanic Panic’: Agent has theory on 30-year mystery of missing Kansas teen by Max Londberg. Published April 08, 2018. Accessed December 2024. https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article208247734.html
- Lawrence Journal-World (Lawrence, Kansas): Bizarre events surrounding Leach case by J-W Staff Reports. Published on April 16, 2008. Accessed December 2024. https://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/apr/16/bizarre_events_surrounding_leach_case/
- FOX4 (Kansas City, Missouri) Where’s Randy Leach?: Parents file lawsuit in Leavenworth County seeking case files by John Holt. Published Aug 14, 2017 Accesed December 2024. https://fox4kc.com/news/wheres-randy-leach-parents-file-lawsuit-in-leavenworth-county-seeking-case-files/
- Adventures With Purpose: COLD CASE: Randy Leach Missing 32-Years from Linwood. Episode 1. Published December 18, 2020. Accessed December 2024 vis YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB6YLDPQvhQ&t=0s
- Adventures With Purpose: ACESS DENIED: While Searching for Randy Leach. Published May 28, 2021. Accessed December 2024 vis YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfwkVli1DdU
- Lawrence.com (Lawrence, KS): Timeline of Randy Leach disappearance by Phil Cauthon. Published October 2, 2006 accessed via web.archive.org November 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20150724221549/http://www.lawrence.com/news/2006/oct/02/timeline_randy_leachs_disappearance/
- FOX 4 (Kansas City, KS): Investigation Concerns by Lisa McCormick, Eugene Matthews and Park University Criminal Justice students. Accessed November 2024. https://nxstrib-com.go-vip.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2016/11/investigationconcerns.pdf
- FOX 4 (Kansas City, KS): KBI Statement. Accessed November 2024. https://nxstrib-com.go-vip.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2016/11/kbistatement.pdf
- The Salina Journal (Salina, KS): Teen’s disappearance still baffles authorities by Leavenworth (AP). Published April 17, 1989. Accessed November 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/17781739/
Suggested Episodes
MISSING: Lila Buerattan & Moses Lall
When four people go missing from an exotic bird farm in 1994, none of their disappearances are reported… until a concerned feed supplier starts to worry about the birds that are being neglected.
MISSING: Heather Teague
A young woman is abducted in the middle of the day, and despite seeming like an open and shut case, her family is still searching for answers almost 30 years later.
MISSING: Nicholas Barclay
A young boy goes missing walking home from playing basketball in 1994, disappearing without a trace and leaving his family with many questions.
Share The Good With Us
You can learn more about The Good segment and even submit a story of your own by visiting The Good page on our website!