MS MS - Leigh Occhi, 13, Tupelo, 27 Aug 1992

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That poor girl!
You know, the thing about missing children and persons is that they are just so easily forgotten by the world. They are always in my prayers every night, and leigh will also be.
 
I just read through the post and wanted to answer a few questions that were asked.

Elizabeth Leach is Leigh's Dad's Mom's Sister. So Don's Maternal Aunt.

There was no school on the day Leigh disappeared. School hadn't started yet. She was supposed to go somewhere with her grandmother that day.

Leigh's stepfather died some time ago. I don't know how long Leigh's mom remained in Tupelo after Leigh disappeared.

Keep up the good work!! I hope Leigh comes home soon!!
 
There is something shady about her disappearance. Especially those glasses!
 
amber1 said:
There is something shady about her disappearance. Especially those glasses!
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I agree!! That makes me believe her mom was involved in some way. It's like the fact that someone tried to clean up the blood in the bathroom. No stranger would stick around to do that! And no stranger would risk exposing themselves by mailing the glasses! Does anyone know how much blood was present in the home? Was it enough that they know she had to have died there? Because if that's the case, it also points to Mom. A stranger wouldn't waste time removing the body and risk getting caught while doing it. Only Mom would have a motive to do that. If there wasn't a lot of blood, then she could have been kidnapped and maybe even kept alive for a period of time or could still be alive today.

Also, there was a serial killer Robert Browne who was active from the early 1980's to 1995. He has claimed to have killed 49 women, 3 of them in Mississippi. Moreover, he was convicted in Colorado for killing two 13 year old girls!! Does anyone know whether he was ever considered a suspect in this case or whether that angle was investigated? He killed several women in the south and was active when Leigh disappeared. Makes me wonder....
 
missacorah said:
Yes the glasses being sent like that was very eerie indeed. It made me feel as if the person who sent them did so as if to imply that Leigh wouldnt be needing them again to her family.

Maybe Leigh arranged for someone to come over that day and thats why she wanted the day home from school but then things turned nasty? I wonder if there were any 'admirers' on the scene.
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What makes the glasses incident odd is that they were addressed to the step father, who had moved out prior to her disappearance.

The case is strange, the Mothers actions, failure to pass polygraph tests and odd rendition of events is interesting to say the least.

I am curious to her Fathers ideas on whether or not Mom is involved.
 
SunnieRN said:
What makes the glasses incident odd is that they were addressed to the step father, who had moved out prior to her disappearance.

The case is strange, the Mothers actions, failure to pass polygraph tests and odd rendition of events is interesting to say the least.

I am curious to her Fathers ideas on whether or not Mom is involved.
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I read somewhere that Dad does think Mom was involved. It was a member of his family who said that - I think his brother.

Is the fact that they were addressed to the stepfather an attempt by Mom to divert attention from herself? A stranger wouldn't know the name of her stepfather.

You're right. This is very strange.
 
palomacolumbine said:
I just re-read the Charley Project entry on Leigh and something jumped out at me. One of the items missing from the home was a sleeping bag. It sounds like something someone would use to remove a body. That casts more suspicion on Mom IMHO.
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Great observation! In fact, many of the posts in this thread have been quite insightful. I read David's blog some time ago, but I'm going to re-read it after viewing many of the posts in this thread.
 
I agree-the sleeping bag missing definitely points so someone who was no stranger to that house. I think it was someone in the family because:

1. No stranger/stalker would ever stick around to clean up the blood or the mess-why risk getting caught?

2. The fact the sleeping bag was missing points to someone using it to remove her body. I doubt a random person would be able to locate a sleeping bag in the home-for all the know, Leigh's house didn't even have one in it! But, someone who lives there would know that.

3. Those glasses being mailed to the step father. Was Leigh wearing them when she vanished? Either way, it sounds like a way throw police off track.

4.The mother failing the lie detector test.

I believe someone who Leigh knew well did this to her and is responsible for her disappearance. Does anyone have any idea of what the mother's motives would be? May be she even was covering for someone....
 
Random thoughts below:

Polygraph Test

Three failed polygraph tests is a bit suspicious indeed. I tend to look at this as important, though I understand that in a court of law the results are inadmissable. Personally, I find the results to be a valuable investigative tool. Some will argue, "But people have fooled them before!" Sure, it is possible. But in this instance, that isn't what occurred. So, what is she hiding?

Motive?

What would be a motive for the mother killing her daughter? I fail to see one here. Or rather, I should say I am unable to identify one that jumps right out. I suppose it is possible the step-father was attracted to Leigh, or abused her, and the mother knew it; thus, they separated and she blamed (or resented) her daughter for this. But that's a long shot IMO.

Physical Evidence

Prior to calling 911, the mother literally contaminated every piece (or most) of evidence in that house by walking around, touching doors and items left behind, and so on. She altered the crime scene by moving items too.

And let's not forget, if she committed this crime, her DNA is literally everywhere within this home. So, unless she was cut, bruised, etc., the police would have nothing on her.

The lead investigator noted the pool of blood lacked a "film" (maybe not his exact words), implying it was fairly fresh. IMO this rules out the possibility the mother killed the daughter and disposed of the body the day before. Plus, they didn't find any traces of blood in her car, right? The timeline is far too tight, although I confess that I'm not sure how long it would take pooled blood to start coagulating given the time allotted and known temperature. But it seems too "messy" for the mother to have committed the act before going to work, and too short a time frame for her to have left work and committed the crime prior to dialing 911.

Also, the evidence that someone attempted to "clean up" does not necessarily point to the mother. I suppose the key factor here is what was cleaned - part of the house or the individual cleaning him or herself? If the former, then I'd say the mother or a known person was involved as I don't see a random stranger bothering. If the latter, it could have simply been to remove evidence in case seen later in the day while leaving, driving to dispose of body, etc. Even the murderer would have to go home, and why risk being seen with blood spatter?

Phone Call and Concern

Is there proof regarding what time Leigh's mother arrived at work? What time she called her mother to check on Leigh? Or what time she called home?

Why did her mother arrive before her? If she were that concerned, would her mother - who lived 5 minutes away - not try calling or simply go there?

And why the sudden level of concern? What did she know? I'm guessing she had left her daughter at home alone before. Why worry so much on that particular day . . . I don't buy the storms explanation. And besides, one missed call does not mean tragedy. Maybe she was in the shower and didn't hear the phone?

Other Evidence / Questions

I'd also like to know about the alleged "missing" diary. Strange that it was never found.

Nowhere have I read about a missing sleeping bag but here. What is the source?

I would like to know the mother's whereabouts on the previous day? Did anyone see her? See Leigh?

Also, could Liegh see without her glasses?

Sorry, I'm sure I have more . . . but I'll stop for now.
 
This whole things just seems so staged. It has to be someone working from the inside.
Like I said, I am sure it was her mother from the evidence, but it is possible she had outside help. But from who?

Apparently her glasses did go missing with her along with the sleeping bag, her shoes and her under clothes. Blood (I assume Leigh's) was found on the door frame, walls, carpet and bathroom counter top. Someone tried to clean up the blood in the bathroom, but the rag that was used was never located.
Lots more information is located at the this site:
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/o/occhi_leigh.html

Also, I read Crimewriter's entry about Leigh's case and some things struck me....
Leigh's mom and the step father just seperated, the mom was gone for an hour and a half before coming home, she wasn't hysterical at the crime scene. Investigators also said they think Leigh's head struck the door frame and than she fell and bled on the floor. Perhaps she had a physical altercation with her mother? I think, if this is the case, that Leigh's mother than did not mean for her daughter to be harmed. Maybe Leigh's death was accidental in the sense that her mother didn't mean for her daughter to be killed.

I read in part IV that Leigh's mother's excuse for not cooperating to help find her daughter is because she is "afraid of what people might think of her." If my child was missing, I wouldn't care what anyone has to say about me, I would do anything and cooperate to find my kid. And she works so hard to shift the blame to a man incarcerated in prison already. How convenient for her. I just strongly believe she is responsible, or at least knows something she is not saying.

Stepping into another theory, because she went missing during the hurricane, perhaps this was a robbery gone bad. What better time to rob a housethan during a hurricane? Maybe he saw the mother leave, than he went in not knowing Leigh was there. Maybe it was a series of unfortuante events. Leigh could have opened the door thinking it was her grandma there to pick her up for her open house at school that day.

I hope they find Leigh-God Bless you, you will not be forgotten. You and your father will be in my prayers.
Source Here:
http://blogs.discovery.com/criminal_report/2009/07/leigh-marine-occhi-3.html
 
No offense, but I don't buy the burglary theory. Most of the time, people who break into homes hope to avoid contact with the residents. In a case where someone broke in after seeing the mother leave, I would think this person would simply leave . . . or if he / she thought Leigh would ID them (and were forced to hurt her), I doubt that person would take the body as they left. An opportunistic burglar wouldn't want that type of baggage or trouble, as they'd move on to their next "score".

I agree that the mother, on the surface, seems involved in some way. However, given the blood factor, and the timeline, I can't see how she could have been responsible for either the murder or disposal of Leigh. If the mother killed her earlier, the blood would have had a "film", and the investigator noted it was absent. Knowing that, I can't see how the mother could have been directly involved given the amount of blood described, the tight timeline, and the fact they probably checked on her work alibi.

So, what could be a possible motive?
 
Milopedes,
I agree with you one hundred percent on the tight timeline possibly ruling out the mom. However, like yourself, in my gut I feel she is somehow involved. Particularly after reading Crimefighter's in depth four part report.
As far as a motive, well, who can say what evil lurks in the heart of men. Or women, for that matter. Having been a thirteen year old middle school girl myself once, I know how heated confrontations can get between mothers and daughters out of nowhere. Puberty changes the whole game. My friends and acquaintences who are mothers joke about the tough times they experience with their young pubescent daughters all the time. Out of nowhere, it seems, it becomes emotion central in some houses during the onset of female puberty. I was an only child and very stable and centered, an honor student, shy, but I remember a couple of occasions where it was def-con 4 between my equally quiet and stable mom and me; one morning before school I was mouthing off terribly (I think I called her the "B" word for the first and last time in my life) and she literally chased me up the stairs to my room. I slammed the door in her face. Blockaded it with my bureau. Lots of hollering and carrying on for a few minutes. And the funny thing is, I can't even remember what the incident was about.

My point is, in crimes of passion, motive is just that: passion. Anger. Rage. People snapping in glorious and tragic technicolor. My mother did nothing when she finally got into my room that morning when I was a mouthy thirteen, of course, just grounded me, but perhaps other kids aren't as fortunate?

The missing sleeping bag leads me to wonder, as does the eyeglass issue. If I wanted to throw someone off my trail regarding a mailed package, I would certainly mis-spell something on the envelope in an effort to look uninvolved. It's a trick even a child could come up with.

This poor little girl. I really hope her family finds justice and closure in some form, and soon.
 
epochmiss,

I understand what you're saying. And were it not for the timeline, and the state of the pooled blood observed by LE, I would probably zero in on the mother immediately. But at this junction, I cannot help but believe her involvement was less direct.

Just my 2 cents.
 
Maybe the mother knows more than she's saying, in terms that she knows who did it and why, but isn't saying anything. Maybe she didn't hurt her daughter, but she helped cover it up because someone else she cared about did?
Just some thoughts.
 
Bumpity

Leigh has been missing close to 18 years now. Please come home soon.
 
I don't put much stock in those 3 failed lie detector tests. Could be the mother felt guilt for having left her alone, and/or introducing into her daughter's life the person she believes responsible (IF she's innocent). I also know that guilty people have passed those tests. I'm not sure I could pass one myself, due to my severe speech impediment. I'd be so worried about stuttering my blood pressure & pulse would go up. Or, I'd be worried that even though I was innocent, the test would say I wasn't, so that would put my vitals out of wack. I'm a bit on the paranoid side. The mom could be, too. Having said that, I find her behavior odd. Especially the bit where she tells the BF "Sorry, hon. She's missing." WTF?! Sounds so casual, like: "sorry hon, she's on phone restriction." & not being hysterical to find blood & her daughter gone? My kid goes into the fields where I can't see her & I've been known to start screaming & telling my hubby to call police after 5 min of not seeing her. Of course, my kid shows up seconds later all non chalant. Everybody's different though, I guess. Crimewriter's blog mentions that LE have evidence not known to the public, & it seems they haven't quit focusing on mom. Perhaps this evidence has to do with the mom's timeline. Maybe her timesheet had gaps she couldn't explain, or maybe the stepdad wasn't accounted for, & phone calls were made between the 2 during the crime. The glasses sent to stepdad- JMO- could be a sort of message from the mom telling him he's up the same stinky creek, so he'd better keep his mouth shut. Certainly is odd the glasses were sent, since a 'real' sexual sadist would likely send something along the lines of bloody underpants to horrify the mom.
Don't think the mom acted alone, at least in disposing of the body. But who could have moved it? The blood was fresh, & didn't stepdad show up while cops were at the house? Course, they could have put it someplace temporarily, then later moved it. I Don't see mom doing it, as I don't have the strength to dig a hole to bury a pet finch deep enough, I could not imagine burying a human.
Just writing my thoughts trying to come to a conclusion...
 
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