026 - The Disappearance of Leah Roberts

Twenty-Three year old Leah Roberts had lived a difficult life and suffered multiple tragedies. By the time she was twenty-two she had lost both of her parents and been involved in a near fatal car accident. Desperate for a way to deal with her grief, and in order to find herself and her true dreams, she embarked on a secret trip. On March 9th, 2000, she left her home in North Carolina, heading for Desolation Peak in Washington state. She was on the trail of her favorite author, Jack Kerouac, and though she had two older siblings and a close knit group of friends, she chose to tell no one. Her sister, Kara, reported her missing on Monday, March 13th, and five days later received startling news. Leah's white jeep cherokee had been found in Whatcom County, WA. It was at the bottom of an embankment, smashed up and abandoned. Worse yet, there were no signs of Leah anywhere. A massive search was conducted, and an investigation launched but Leah was never found nor was any trace of her, outside of her jeep. Over the next seventeen years, Police would continue to be baffled and perplexed by this incredibly unusual disappearance. Did Leah Roberts choose to run off in hopes of starting a new life? Was she overcome by her grief and made the desperate choice to end her life? Was Leah severely injured in the crash and died somewhere in the wilds of the Washington wilderness? Or, was Leah a victim of foul play and not even present when her jeep went rolling over a cliff? Join host Steven Pacheco as he examines and attempts to unravel the curious details and mystifying riddles of this mind boggling disappearance. This episode of Trace Evidence is sponsored by swap.com Swap.com is the world's largest online consignment & thrift store. With swap.com you can save up to 90% off retail price on your favorite brands, like Lululemon, Carter's, NIKE, JCRew and Gap. Between 6-10,000 new items added daily. If something doesn't fit, enjoy hassle free returns within 30 days no questions asked. Use promo code TRACE40 to save 40% off your first order, and free shipping is included. Now through Nov. 30th. For more information please visit: http://www.trace-evidence.com http://www.patreon.com/traceevidence https://www.facebook.com/groups/232601153862937/ Music Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/