ID ID - Randall Leach, 20, Idaho Falls, 6 Nov 1980

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PonderingThings

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http://doenetwork.org/cases/1292dmor.html

Randall Dean Leach
Missing since November 6, 1980 from Bend, Deschutes County, Oregon.
Classification: Missing

Vital Statistics
  • Date Of Birth: July 28, 1960
  • Age at Time of Disappearance: 20 years old
  • Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'8"; 140 lbs.
  • Distinguishing Characteristics: White male. Brown hair; blue eyes.
  • Marks, Scars: Healed collar bone, pierced ear.
  • Dentals: Available
Circumstances of Disappearance
Leach was last seen on November 6, 1980 in Bend, OR.
 
Then this news article appeared.....

http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/Taconic_ID-27Nov05.htm

http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/Images/Taconic-missing-25Nov05.jpg
Missing identity since 1983

Remains found 20 years ago are still a mystery

State Police at Wappinger have re-opened their investigation into unidentified remains found in Fahnestock State Park in Putnam County in 1985. Police believe the skeletal remains are that of a man who may have died two years earlier.

The body was found on Route 301, about two miles west of the Taconic State Parkway.

Found on the body were three pairs of socks, four pairs of underwear, two pairs of shorts, one pair of long pants, one dress shirt and a pair of size 10 Dunham boots.

Also found was a comb, a dental floss container, a road map of the New York and New Jersey areas and two laminating prayer cards.

The victim was believed to be a white male, approximately 27 to 35 years of age, five feet-nine inches tall, with dark brown, straight hair.

Anyone with information or knowledge of the victim is asked to call Wappinger State Police at 845-298-0952 or 845-677-7300.

***************************
On another forum someone suggested the match so I called and spoke to a really nice Trooper. Although the age is off, the other stats match, and the sketch to photo of Leach are really close (I wish I knew how to post side by side pics on this forum!). He said he was going to check it out. Now we are just waiting....
****************************
By the way, I didn't notice the sketch, of the person who's remains were found, on the Doe Network, so maybe it also matches a case you are aware of? Please take a look, just in case.
 
The first link on the John Doe won't open.

I'm familar with this case, as I've hiked in the area on occasion. Seems a Doe gets found near popular hiking areas in NY every year...!
 
Oh, you know, only the best here at WS! :)

Welcome, by the way!
 
Charley Project states that he was last seen on Nov 6, 1980 in Idaho Falls, ID (not Bend). He was attempting to hitch-hike to Bend, OR from Wisconsin.

Westley Allan Dodd was about the same age as Randall. He was only convicted of sexually assaulting younger boys (starting at age 13, I believe), but he did threaten to rape the guards at Walla Walla prison when he was incarcerated.

Although Idaho Falls to Bend wouldn't take one through Tri-Cities, where Dodd was from, he was known to travel around the NW. I don't know if he was ever in the Bend area, but he was in the Vancouver/Portland area. (Someone hitchhiking to OR through ID could have easily gotten a ride on a semi coming to Portland, I would think)

I know it's a long shot, especially since Dodd was executed.

These young adults who hitch-hiked back in the day seem to have fallen through the cracks IMO. I hope someday Randall's family will have closure...
 
LucyOso said:
This is my first post, so if I am doing this incorrectly, let me know. :)

I found this interesting. This individual was shot in the left shoulder, which could explain the absence of an obvious left clavicle fracture postmortem. Any input would be great!

http://www.co.nezperce.id.us/ElectedOfficials/Sheriff/ColdCases.aspx
Click to expand...

Welcome to Websleuths, LucyOso!

The thread in our UID forum says that Randy has been ruled out as this UID after a large investigation. Here is the thread for this UID - ID ID - Snake River near Lewiston - White Male 229UMID, 18-20, June 1982 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community


:)
 
Cold Case: Clues sought in missing man’s case, 35 years after he disappeared

http://fox6now.com/2015/11/06/clues-sought-in-missing-mans-case-35-years-after-he-disappeared/

Officials say Leach left Wisconsin around November 1, 1980, hitch-hiking towards a final destination of his sister’s residence in Bend, Oregon. Leach was last seen alive on November 7, 1980 in Idaho Falls where he had stopped and worked at a dairy farm for a couple of days.

In the last 35 years, the Oregon State Police has never received any information or confirmation that Leach reached his final destination of Bend, Oregon or if he had ever entered the state of Oregon.
Click to expand...
 
Wisconsin man disappeared near Idaho Falls while hitchhiking in 1980

http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/article46983985.html

Looking at grisly photos of dead bodies is not the worst part for Renaye Leach.

Periodically, for decades, investigators have contacted her with information about and pictures of unidentified dead men to see whether she recognizes her missing brother.

The worst part is all of the “what ifs.” What if he was hurt? What if he was attacked by an animal? What if he suffered from amnesia and is still alive, not knowing who he is?
Click to expand...

With almost no leads from the initial investigation, the only thing Bonneville County Sheriff Paul Wilde can say for sure is that no one on the farm hurt Leach. With no suspects and no trail, all that’s known is that Leach left the farm after staying there for two days.

Wilde said the farmer and his farmhands were all interviewed and cleared of any possible wrongdoing. He said he knew the lead detective, Clyde Burgess, and his custom was to vet every interview and make sure nothing was missed. Leach seemed to have just packed up and continued his trip, Wilde said.

“There was nothing to indicate anything was going on there or foul play, just that he (Leach) moved on,” Wilde said.
Click to expand...
 
Could he have disappeared on his way back to Wisconsin? It would have been a straight shot and taken him through correctionville iowa. They have a John Doe found there in August of ‘88 and thought to have been there for years before he was found.
 
105UMIA


They have his estimated date of death pretty specific, so this is probably a long shot. I’m from the area where this doe was found and the people who were here at the time call him the “drifter”.
 
shanda3434 said:
105UMIA


They have his estimated date of death pretty specific, so this is probably a long shot. I’m from the area where this doe was found and the people who were here at the time call him the “drifter”.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think they had some idea based on two things: 1) when those hayrolls were put in place and used; and 2) when they recalled smelling something rotten but couldn't locate it. Also, Randall would probably have at least notified his uncle if he had decided to turn around without arriving.
 
I’m listening to a podcast about this case. It seems like something possibly happened in Idaho. Some of the stuff about Randell returning from Kenya with strong ideas against material wealth make it seem like he could have possibly decided to live a life off the grid. His ideas might night have been welcome if he shared them with strangers. He called his parents, he seemed to need an ID. Was anything shady happening on the dairy farm or on near by farms or business. Would he have gotten involved in any migrant labor issues (if that was even going on). Could he have been hit by a car. Did he have a girlfriend or boyfriend?
It seems like where he went missing because he was traveling caused issues.
 
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