Events leading to the disappearance of Randy Leach on April 15-16 1988

April 15, 1988

6:45 p.m.

The last time Randy Wayne Leach’s parents saw their son. “He was in a good mood. His dad had just bought him a new John Deere lawn tractor the day before,” mother Alberta Leach later told the Journal-World on 6/26/1988. Randy showered and got ready to go out. Father Harold Leach gave him $20 for wax for the mower that Randy was going to pick up at K-Mart in Lawrence. “We don’t think he really planned on going to the party,” his mom said. The party was at the rural home of Kim Erwin, another senior at Linwood Rural High School. Kim had invited friends who went to school with her at Harmon High School in Wyandotte County. Did these friends clash with the rural crowd from Linwood?

7:00 p.m.

Randy stopped by his cousin Daren's house, and then was believed to have driven around Linwood, where he spotted a number of friends also cruising the square in downtown Linwood, and he was deciding about whether he would go to Kim's pre-graduation party and bonfire.

8:30 p.m.

Randy and an older friend, Steve Daugherty, drove to DeSoto, Kansas to a body shop, that was restoring a red 1966 Mustang, his soon-to-be graduation gift from his parents.

9:30 p.m.

Randy stopped by a convenience store, Stout's Corner to buy 2 candy bars, two bottles of Pepsi, and $3 worth of gas. There he saw a number of friends who were classmates, who talked Randy into going to the party. How did Randy get to the party? Did someone drive Randy's car there? Party-goers said he was in no shape to drive when he arrived at the party. Who were the two people with whom he may have arrived at the party? Why are they denying it?

10:00 p.m.

Randy was seen at a bonfire party in West Bonner Springs. When Randy arrived at the party, he was deemed incapable of driving. How did he get there? What was causing Randy's uncharacteristic behavior? Estimates of the size of the party range from 45 to 150 people. The mother of the high school senior hosting the party reported Randy had trouble walking, but didn’t seem drunk, nor was he ever seen with a drink in his hand. A couple of party attendees spotted a red plastic cup in Randy's hands. Was his drink spiked?

April 16, 1988

1:30 a.m.

John Burns was going to take him home, but Randy didn’t have his keys. While Randy looked for his keys, Burns took one of the last few people at the party home.

2:05 a.m.

Mrs. Erwin last saw Randy waiting to use the restroom. Mrs. Erwin urged another classmate to escort Randy out of the house. She was afraid that he might hurt himself inside.

Approx. 2:30 a.m.

When Burns returned to the Erwin’s farm, Randy was no longer there, nor was his car. Where was Randy? Did he attempt to drive himself home and end up driving off course into the river or a pond? Did he see something he was not supposed to see? Hear something he was not supposed to hear? Did he anger drug dealers? Was he truly supposed to be the "sacrifice" of the party? Was he too good? Did the attempt of others to keep him quiet result in his death?

6:00 a.m.

Randy’s mom Alberta awoke to find Randy missing. The panicked parents found themselves waiting barefoot in the driveway, when Harold spotted Steve Daugherty, an older acquaintance of Randy, drive by the couple's home on Highway 32 and then pass behind the Leach house on a county road. Harold said that later it seemed odd because it was so early Saturday and Daugherty was only driving, “about 10 mph,'” where the posted speed limit was 55 mph. But at the time he was too agitated about his missing son to consider the Daugherty sighting significant. He later learned Daugherty was among the last to see his son.

7:00 a.m.

Alberta’s brother Richard Rose who at the time was an officer with the Lawrence Police Department, arrived at the Erwin farm. They wouldn't do a thing to help me. Everything was put away. There were no cups or cans. You couldn't even have told there was a party there,” he told the Journal-World in 1998.

April 17, 1988

Randy’s parents reported their missing son as soon as mandatory 24-hour waiting period passed.

April 18, 1988

Police sought information on "6'2", 220lb 17-year-old white male with blue eyes, brown hair and mole on left ear lobe. He was last seen wearing blue T-shirt, blue jeans and white tennis shoes, driving 1985 Dodge 600 gray four-door plate #LVJ8721."

Lawrence Journal-World reporter’s noted detail: “A friend put Leach in his car after he had too much to drink. The friend left to drive several others home and would return, but when the friend returned, Leach was gone. ‘Nobody saw him leave’.”

April 19, 1988

Unconfirmed sighting at Bonner Springs High School.

April 25, 1988

Unconfirmed sighting of gray car “driving erratically” down Iowa Street in Lawrence.

Late April

Randy’s high school senior picture reproduced on 20,000 posters distributed around the country by Linwood residents as they go on vacation.

Late May

Anonymous donors post $1,500 reward money for information leading to Randy’s location.

Early June

Sheriff Terry Campbell substantiates further information regarding the case:

• 90 people have been interviewed. “Probably the first 8 weeks, we spent at least 8 to 12 hours a day on it. Sometimes 16 hours."
• Area searched by plane, river searched by boat, wells drained, ponds and creeks checked. Was this done sufficiently? The Leavenworth Sheriff's Department had little experience with a possible murder. How would one be conducted sufficiently? Would vital points be missed?
• “We believe he was given at least one drink,” he said. “They were pouring "hunch punch" with 150 proof grain alcohol.” Cups were reportedly sold for $3 with free refills, mostly to minors. [There were rumors that Randy's drink may have been laced with PCP].
• “Apparently someone from Kansas City brought some drugs.” [As did many others. This was 1988!]

July 25, 1988

Would have been Randy's 18th birthday.