MI MI - Leah Harding, 31, South Range, 30 April 2015

[mikkismom]

Camiel Vanhaecke moves to circuit court

http://uppermichiganssource.com/news/local/camiel-vanhaecke-moves-to-circuit-court?id=1227960

Police have also confirmed Vanhaecke is the boyfriend of Leah Harding. The South Range woman who disappeared on April 30th.

 

[KateB]

Leah has been added to NamUs: https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/show/30042

 

[skydelta3574]

I can't sit on my hands any longer. Leah has been with the POI or since January 2014. This guy has felonies, including sexual assault. Leah has a six-year-old daughter. Why oh who do women get involved with criminals and losers? No one can be that desperate, but from what I have read on WS over the past three years, it is not uncommon when a woman "disappears." Same stories, different names.

I agree. If only more women would take heed with men like this.

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[OkieGranny]

From last month:

http://uppermichiganssource.com/news/local/2015-a-year-in-review-part-1

In May of 2015 Leah Harding was reported missing. Police named her boyfriend Camiel Bryce Vanhaecke as a person of interest. He's currently in prison on separate charges.

"It's still an open investigation we're currently following up on each and every lead that comes in," said Brian McLean, Houghton County Sheriff.

 

[LocatingLeah]

Bump ... Can someone recommend how to get a cold missing persons case in front of the eyes of new detectives? In this case, county sheriffs have failed to generate progress, so the logical step is for state police to take over -- given the vast wealth of investigatory resources. Leah has been missing for two years come April 30, 2017, and it is painfully obvious the sheriff's office not only has failed but doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt in solving this case.

 

[Mgorules]

:bump::bump::bump::bump:

Bump ... Can someone recommend how to get a cold missing persons case in front of the eyes of new detectives? In this case, county sheriffs have failed to generate progress, so the logical step is for state police to take over -- given the vast wealth of investigatory resources. Leah has been missing for two years come April 30, 2017, and it is painfully obvious the sheriff's office not only has failed but doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt in solving this case.

 

[sunnynz]

Can someone please clarify for me who the POI is - I understand it's the man CVH mentioned in news articles as being 49 years of age, who was Leah's boyfriend at the time of her disappearance. However when I search that name on social media I find a profile with the same name, same geographical area but a much younger man? Definitely not 49. It's such an uncommon name - is this the son of the POI?

 

[LocatingLeah]

Can someone please clarify for me who the POI is - I understand it's the man CVH mentioned in news articles as being 49 years of age, who was Leah's boyfriend at the time of her disappearance. However when I search that name on social media I find a profile with the same name, same geographical area but a much younger man? Definitely not 49. It's such an uncommon name - is this the son of the POI?

That's his son.

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[Ozoner]

The suspect was paroled March 8, 2018.
Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS) - Offender Profile

 

[Ozoner]

Any new word? I thought maybe they'd have charged this guy by now, even without a body.

 

[LocatingLeah]

Any new word? I thought maybe they'd have charged this guy by now, even without a body.

I highly doubt it would happen without a body. There is a new detective on the case, so hopefully he is capable of generating movement.

I understand the POI is back in the area on electronic monitoring.

 

[Ozoner]

I highly doubt it would happen without a body. There is a new detective on the case, so hopefully he is capable of generating movement.

I understand the POI is back in the area on electronic monitoring.

There is strong legal precedent in Michigan for bringing murder charges even when a body has not been found. Some examples are:
-The David Tyll/Brian Ognjan double murder (Raymond and Donald Duvall convicted)
-The abduction & murder of Jessica Heeringa (Jeffrey Willis convicted)
-The murder of Amy Derewitz (David Kniga pled guilty)
-The murder of Katherine Phillips ("Baby Kate") (Sean Phillips convicted)

 

[LocatingLeah]

There is strong legal precedent in Michigan for bringing murder charges even when a body has not been found. Some examples are:
-The David Tyll/Brian Ognjan double murder (Raymond and Donald Duvall convicted)
-The abduction & murder of Jessica Heeringa (Jeffrey Willis convicted)
-The murder of Amy Derewitz (David Kniga pled guilty)
-The murder of Katherine Phillips ("Baby Kate") (Sean Phillips convicted)

I'm familiar, but knowing the legal system in her area and people associated with making it happen, the chance is low. I won't get my hopes up, especially after they had three years of the POI being incarcerated and did not pursue charges. I am skeptical the initial investigation was thorough enough to secure valuable evidence to build a strong case. After all, they want to ensure the case is ironclad, and I don't feel like I am speaking out of turn by saying the prosecutor is the overly cautious type.

 

[LocatingLeah]

A new podcast series about her disappearance: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/locating-leah/id1458931325?uo=4

 

[Ozoner]

I'm familiar, but knowing the legal system in her area and people associated with making it happen, the chance is low. I won't get my hopes up, especially after they had three years of the POI being incarcerated and did not pursue charges. I am skeptical the initial investigation was thorough enough to secure valuable evidence to build a strong case. After all, they want to ensure the case is ironclad, and I don't feel like I am speaking out of turn by saying the prosecutor is the overly cautious type.

The State of Michigan has the right to take over any murder case.

In the Danielle Stislicki case, the state (not local prosecutors) brought murder charges even though Danielle's body hasn't been found. The Michigan Attorney General could do the same thing in Leah's case.

 

[kimmo]

7 years pass since Leah Harding was last seen
APRIL 28 2022


RSBM
Detective Lieutenant Charlie Klein is the current lead detective on the case for the Houghton County Sheriff’s Office. He takes us through what followed the initial missing persons report.

“From there we started looking into her whereabouts, spoke with her significant other at the time who she was living with in South Range and followed up with several other people who were friends of hers in the Baraga/L’Anse area.”

Investigators considered VanHaecke a person of interest in the case, he is who Leah was last seen with.

VanHaecke previously served prison time for kidnapping, assault with a dangerous weapon, and criminal sexual conduct. No charges were brought against VanHaecke related to Harding’s disappearance.

Klein won’t say if investigators have ruled out VanHaecke.

“Multiple theories could be developed throughout the investigation and we may have a person or people of interest but to protect the integrity of the investigation we’re not going to name names right now. The investigation is still open, any leads that come up, we’re going to follow.”

To move the case forward, the Houghton County Sheriff’s Office is still asking the public to come forward with information.

“At some point, someone in the public will know something that we won’t and they can bring it to our attention so we can get this case closed and solved,” said Klein.

But to family and friends, Leah is more than just a missing person.

“She was the best, everything Leah went through in life she overpowered them and would not let them take control of her and it made her a stronger person and on her worst days she could make your day happy,” said Camie Harding.

If you have any information on the case you can contact the Houghton County Sheriff’s office at 906-482-0055.

 

[kimmo]

A 3 part series was published in 2019 about Leah.

Missing for four years: the Leah Harding case..

Missing for four years: the Leah Harding case part 2

Missing for four years: the Leah Harding case part 3

 

[kimmo]

DBM

 

[JnRyan]

The Charley Project has posted an updated page on Leah. And they mention the POI by name.

Leah Irene Harding – The Charley Project

 

[NeverPersonal]

Found a petition regarding opposing parole for Camiel.
petition: Oppose the parole of suspected murderer and habitual felon Camiel Bryce Vanhaecke!, United States (thepetitionsite.com)
In the weeks following Leah Harding's disappearance and suspected murder in 2015, Vanhaecke was arrested and later convicted of home invasion.

Important to note that in her Charley Project page, she said if anything happened to her, it was this guy's doing. Devastating for her family & especially her kiddo.