TX TX - Kim Sue Leggett, 21, Mercedes, 9 Oct 1984

Rle7

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Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Missing Since: October 9, 1984 from Mercedes, Texas
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date of Birth: December 27, 1962
Age: 21 years old
Height and Weight: 5'6, 110 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian female. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Leggett has a scar on her chin.

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Details of Disappearance
Leggett was last seen standing outside Ross Cotton Gin, her place of employment in Mercedes, Texas, between 4:30 and 4:45 p.m. on October 9, 1984. The establishment is owned by her father-in-law. Leggett was talking to two males when she was last seen. At 4:45 p.m. that same day, Leggett's parents received two phone calls saying she had been kidnapped. Her father then drove to the Ross Cotton Gin and found Leggett's car parked there with her purse and keys inside, but she herself was missing. She has never been heard from again. Foul play is suspected in Leggett's case.

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Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Mercedes Police Department
956-565-3102

OR
Texas Department of Public Safety
800-346-3243

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Source Information
California Attorney General's Office
Texas Department of Public Safety


http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/l/leggett_kim.html
 
The Texas Rangers now say a woman who vanished 24 years ago was murdered.

New evidence has surfaced in the case of Kim Sue Leggett, 24 years after she vanished from her father-in-law's cotton gin in Mercedes.

Local, state, and federal authorities were called in to search for her, even psychics tried to solve Kim's disappearance.

Her family says not knowing what happened is what what causes the most pain.

http://www.newschannel5.tv/2008/4/24/990285/
 
http://www.newschannel5.tv/2008/4/25/990352/Two-Cold-Cases-Possibly-Connected

NEWSCHANNEL 5 received dozens of phone calls and emails after our investigation into the disappearance of Kim Sue Leggett. She vanished 24 years ago. Her case is now considered an open murder investigation. We learned one of her relatives disappeared about three weeks after Leggett vanished. That investigation also became a cold case.
Leggett's family says the two were very close.
Now NEWSCHANNEL 5 is investigating the connection between the missing relative and Leggett's murder.




I wonder who this relative was. It doesn't say, doesn't give any identifying information at all. I'm pretty sure he or she is not on my Charley Project site.
 
I wonder who this relative was. It doesn't say, doesn't give any identifying information at all. I'm pretty sure he or she is not on my Charley Project site.

I believe http://www.newschannel5.tv/ is referencing the disappearance of my Great Aunt Augusta Sterling. She was in her 80's when she went for a walk and never returned. It was November of the following year (13 months not 3 weeks) after Kim disappeared. She was Kim's in law but they were not close. In fact, I'm not sure they ever met. Since she was elderly and not quite as news worthy, Augusta never got the attention from South Texas media that Kim did. That's why it is hard to find news on it today.

I'm Kim's brother in law. I'm happy to help with the many reporting errors that KRGV Channel 5 has made on this case.

As a family, we continue to mourn and would love to solve this, but apparently Channel 5 would rather just invent news in a ratings month with advertising dollars at stake.
 
Kim Sue Leggett disappeared from a cotton gin 24 years ago. Just recently, authorities have labeled her disappearance as an open murder investigation instead of just a missing persons case.

There have been many theories in to what happened. One centers around her stepfather, Lefty Gardner. Some believe the pilot and member of the Confederate Airforce was asked to move contraband into Mexico, and her abduction was retaliation for his refusal.

Investigators also centered on her husband, Mark Leggett, during the investigation. We're told it's because a spouse is always a suspect. He never fully cooperated with authorities, telling us he thought police were just looking for an easy arrest.

http://www.newschannel5.tv/2008/5/15/991392/Investigators-Say-Cold-Case-Closer-to-Being-Solved
 
He never fully cooperated with authorities, telling us he thought police were just looking for an easy arrest.

Actually, Mark completely cooperated with the investigation 24 years ago. Channel 5 news made Mark out to be a reluctant suspect to enhance their story. Nor did he "break his silence" to talk to channel 5. In this most recent interview, he agreed to talk off the record and channel 5 secretly recorded him. They conveniently left out the part where he publicly grieved over our tragic loss.

Complete yellow dog journalism with no new information or "breaking news".

We would all love closure on this tragedy. Sad to see the media mishandle the facts to manufacture news, but that's life in a ratings driven world.
 
From some research I can find, it appears that Mark married his friend Marc's sister 2 years after Kim disappeared?? It seems quite early to move on.. Two years seems like such a short time to get married - he still has no idea where or what happened to his missing wife...
 
Lisag

When Kim disappeared, her son Randall was a one year old toddler in diapers. Mark Leggett did not marry Marcos Hinojosa's sister. It was his cousin Jaquelina (Marcos Hinojosa was also a close friend of mine). Mark met her for the first time on a trip to Austin where she was attending the University of Texas. Mark had not met her prior to Kim's disappearance and this is well documented. Mark married her for two reasons...

After two years of agony and dating no one, Mark and Jaquelina fell in love.

Mark needed a Mom to help him raise Randall who was now 3.

Two years was not a short time to anyone involved who saw the need. To suggest it is not appropriate is reading deep between the lines.

Jaquelina (or Jackie as we called her) later divorced Mark to marry a doctor she met while working in pharmaceutical sales. She and her new husband have a new baby and are very happy together.

Mark and Jackie had one son together who just celebrated his 17th birthday (born 7 years after Kim's disappearance). He is a fine young man.
 
Thanks for your response.. I am not trying to make accusations, so I hope you don't take it that way.. Sorry I thought Jacqueline was Marcos's sister, I just saw the same last name and assumed.
To me, it just seems 2 years is such a short time to divorce your missing wife, fall in love with another woman and re-marry... From an outsiders viewpoint, it seems during that time you would still be worried, hopefull, serching, etc...
But, obviously, I have not been in that situation and have no idea how one would feel in his shoes...And as you know, the spouse is always "suspect" ... A sad fact for those who are innocent..

Has Mark stayed in touch with Km's family? Were they allowed a relationship with Randall? How does her family feel about Mark? Were they suspicious of him?
Have you heard what "evidence" has surfaced? Hopefully it is something that will lead your family to some much needed answers!!
 
lisag

I hope I don't come off as defensive... just hate to see media twist the story so.

Mark's son Randall recently graduated from Texas A&M and Kim's Mom and Brother came to the graduation party and had a great time. However, Channel 5's report with no new information but suggesting Mark was responisble had to do damage. Mark told me he asked Randall if Grandma Sharon would defend him publically and Randall did not think so.

Apparently no new evidence has surfaced at all... pure ratings driven yellow journalism.

If we ever identify a body or solve this case our families should be allowed to morn together. Thanks to channel 5, this may not only be difficult, but impossible.

I'm afraid he real story here is not what happened 24 years ago, but how our news media has deteriorated in that time.

We would love to have closure. We would love to solve the case and see those responsible brought to justice. Unfortunately chanel 5 has done nothing to satisfy these goals while incriminating the innocent and causing our families great pain.
 
No you weren't defensive... I just wanted to clarify that I am not pointing fingers.
I am glad to know that Randall has a relationship with Kim's family. Maybe it's because I am a mother of small boys, but it just breaks my heart thinking of everything she missed... everything he missed.. I hope Randall grew up knowing how much his mother loved him!!

Prayers that Kim's case will be solved and she can rest in peace!
 
I don't know anyone who doesn't pray to finally have some closure. I have never forgotten my old friend. My sincerest wish for her son and family is that the DNA tests can finally put to rest old suspicions and finally bring everyone some closure. She had great passion for life, she embrased life head on. I never for one moment ever believed that she simply left; she had too much spirit and would never have left her son behind.

I have fond memories of cruzing around in the old mustang. My family & I continue to pray for Kim and her family. We took different paths in life, she chose marriage and family, I was in attending college when we received the word of her disappearance. I agree that the news story isn’t totally accurate; I find it hard to believe that the Tx Rangers didn’t get involved for almost three weeks, her family had close friends with several Tx Rangers, and they cared about Kim and watched her grow up. I continue to pray for my old friend and her family, their deserve closure.
 
I agree that the news story isn’t totally accurate; I find it hard to believe that the Tx Rangers didn’t get involved for almost three weeks, her family had close friends with several Tx Rangers, and they cared about Kim and watched her grow up.

The suggestion that the Texas Rangers were slow to get involved is yet another misrepresentation of fact by channel 5.

The Texas Rangers were there immediately. I vividly remember the officer at the house round the clock hoping to get a first hand lead when phones rang for a possible ransom request. Kim's Dad Lefty eventually got the call at his home but unfortunately nothing came of it. The conversation was abrupt and lasted only a few lines.

Next communication was by mail but that was it.

I personally went to buy a briefcase if we ever got specific instructions.... but specific instructions never came.

The FBI is on the case now but I understand that one of the principal FBI investigators has since died.

It's my guess that the reason this story is re-surfacing is that somebody knows something and is finally talking. Again, that is simply a guess.

Keeping collective fingers crossed...
 
there is news on the horizon... apparently arrests are coming according to Kim's brother Darren
 
It has been 25 years since Kim went missing. Is there any update in her case?
 

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Bumping for Kim. I was just reading about her on the Texas Rangers’ site for unsolved homicides. I cannot even imagine the anguish her family has had to endure. My heart goes out to them, and I hope so, so much that this case WILL be solved. Kim, her family, and her beautiful son, all deserve justice.

Here is a link to Kim’s page on The Charley Project. It seems to have the most up-to-date and accurate information that I've been able to find.

Charley Project: Kim Leggett
 

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