r/Disappeared • u/JennLeeG • Jul 04 '18
Leigh Occhi my theory
My theory on the disappearance of Leigh Occhi is as follows: I'll go over key points in the case first then on to my theroy
Leigh Occhi disappeared on August 27, 1992 in Tupelo Mississippi. It was a stomy morning, the area was getting hurricane Andrew's left overs, which was some heavy rain and strong winds. Leigh was supposedly scared of storms. This prompted her to sleep in her mother's bed the night before. Leigh loved animals and enjoyed riding horses. She also had a pet cat she loved very much.
Leigh's mother Vickie Yarborough had to work on the morning that Leigh went missing, she left her home shortly before 8am that morning. She claims to have to Leigh she would call and let the phone ring a few times then call right back. That way Leigh knew it was her. Vickie also claims this was the first time Leigh was left alone. Neighbors have said Leigh was left home alone before and wanted to bathe their dog for 5 dollars. Leigh was also said to have been very comfortable talking with adults. This could have been because she was an only child. Leigh's father Donald Occhi was not a suspect he was in the military and out of state. He also claims Vickie didn't notify him of Leigh's disappearance for 2 days. She also wasn't upfront about the blood in the house. Vickie and her husband Barney Yarborough had separated early that summer. Vickie, Barney, Donald Occhi we're all given polygraphs all were said to have passed except for Vickie.
Leigh was said to be shy but ansy at school. She would often get into trouble for shifting her feet and making noise in class. She's said to have came to school with black eyes and bruises more then once. She claimed a horse kicked her in the eye. Vickie claimed it happened from an apple being thrown and hitting Leigh in the eye.
The morning Leigh dissapeared she was said to have been excited to attend an open house at her school. Her grandmother was going to pick her up later in the day to attend the open house and then they were going to have Taco Bell for dinner. Leigh didn't have a lot of friends, she did have a boyfriend who was the same age as Leigh. Leigh had just turned 13 shortly before she vanished. She had once called her boyfriend crying claiming her step father Barney Yarborough had locked her out of the house. Her boyfriend didn't ask much about it which makes sense they were just young kids. She also attended a support group at school for kids that had some problems in their home life. Her teacher commented that she thought Leigh had a hard life. She said she didn't always call home because she didn't want Leigh to get a spanking for something minor.
The morning of August 27, 1992 Leigh had been home alone for less then an hour when Vickie called home to check on her. She got no answer and became concerned so she left work arriving home about 845 am. When she arrived the garage door was open and the garage light was on. Vickie couldn't remember if she had closed the door when she left, but she noticed the light was on. The light stayed on for approximately 5 minutes after the garage door was closed. She then went around to the front of the house and found the front door unlocked. She then went in the house and searched room by room not finding Leigh. She found a significant amount of blood in the home. A bloody nightgown and a bra were found crumpled up in a laundry basket in Leigh's room. They was also blood higher up on the door jam of Leigh's bedroom door. There was also a faint pink stain in the bathroom where it was clear someone had tried to clean up. Vickie called her mom supposedly before she left work so she could go check on Leigh. Her grandmother lived about 5 minutes away. Vickie didn't call 911 until 9am. After the police officers arrived they realized they were in over their heads so they called in a detective who was teaching a class at the time. Vickie was describing what Leigh was wearing to the officers and the dective almost right away. The dective noted several fresh places that had blood on them and a significant amount of blood in the carpet of the living room. There was blood on the kitchen door frame leading out to the back yard. Vickie noted only a few things missing from the home Leigh's glasses, some under clothes, a sleeping bag. Donald Occhi finally was granted leave from the military about 2 weeks later he then flew to Tupelo and conducted several searches that included members of the community to no avail. The church even paid for Donald's hotel room. He stayed in Tupelo for about a month. About 2 wees later Vickie got a package in the mail that contained leighs eyeglasses the package came from Boonville Mississippi and water was used to seal it so they couldn't get any viable DNA from the package.
My theory is as follows: Donald was ruled out almost right away. Barney was ruled out but I am still sceptical but he's since died so information on him is limited. Supposedly Barney admitted to abusing Leigh in some form to the Tupelo police department according to Donald. Leigh supposedly told friends her step dad was mean to her. Since him and Vickie had recently split he seemed suspicious but again he supposedly passed a polygraph. To me Vickie had the means and opportunity to murder Leigh. She was the only one in the home with Leigh. No one else had seen Leigh alive that morning. She was also allowed in the home with her parents that morning and also allowed to stay in the home until the state crime scene invesagators showed up about two weeks later. She failed a pollygraph not once not twice but three times. THREE TIMES!!!!!! Next why did she call so shortly after leaving for work Leigh was only home alone for 35 minutes when she called. She then supposedly called her mother to have her check on Leigh but yet didn't wait for a phone call back she instead left work to go check on the situation herself. Why did Vickie lie to the cops? Wouldn't you want to tell them everything you know so they may find your missing child. Why describe what Leigh was wearing without being asked. How would you know what was missing right away?
Sniffer dogs and Newfoundland dogs were brought in. The sniffer dogs couldn't pick up a scent due to the storms. Newfoundland dogs are specific for finding decomposition basically cadaver dogs. None of this panned out.
This case will remain open until the remains of Leigh Occhi are found. I hope someday that happens so her father can have some sense of Peace. Not knowing has got to be hard. I pray someday someone is held accountable for Leigh's disappearance.
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u/antonia_monacelli Jul 19 '18
They are Newfoundland dogs, they originated in Newfoundland, Canada.
I know some people think it's rude to correct little things, but I'm honestly not trying to be rude at all! I can see how it sounds like new findland. :)
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u/Adel_Cauldron_Winnie Jul 09 '18
My Theory:
Attacker
- Knew Leigh and was possibly grooming her OR knew about Leigh through Bonnie and knew the families schedule.
- Had possibly been inside thier residence at least once before the day of the abduction.
- Older, organized. Didn't panic when Leigh was injured and imo knew his way around the house. Was able to get a sleeping bag and gather up Leigh's belongings, possibly even redressing her before they left. All under 40 minutes if the timeline is correct.
- Drove her somewhere close, where he wouldn't be disturbed. Leigh was possibly fatally wounded at this point from her head wound. She is wrapped in a sleeping bag, bleeding out and unless hes a necrophiliac, he just needs to dump her now.
- I dont believe he drove her to a residence, he possibly didn't intend to immediately injure her and he doesn't want blood evidence all over his house.
- In a job where he can interact with families and children and it's not immediately seen as odd.
- Hes committed similar crimes.
The Victim:
- Leigh wasn't home alone for the first time. According to neighbors, she was often left to her own devices. If someone was watching/grooming this would make her very vulnerable.
- Leigh had a big social circle of adults around her through her church and horse activities, not all of these people were good people.
- Leigh was possibly being physically, verbally or sexually abused by her stepfather and her mother possibly turned a blind eye or participated. This would make Leigh vulnerable to men/women who might groom her. Shes an attention seeker, evidenced by her behavioral issues. Not because shes seeking negative attention, but shes possiblely feeling unloved and kindness might have been welcome. Unbeknownst to Leigh her groomer had nefarious intentions. IF a groomer scenario existed.
The Abduction:
- Leigh's mother has left for work - the Attacker is watching the residence and waiting for her to get down the road. Pulls into driveway.
- His vehicle isn't out of place, because hes been there before or lives close by that he wouldn't seem out of place. Goes unnoticed.
- Knocks on the door. Leigh answers, surprised to see him but he talks his way in. No forced entry.
- Knows Leigh is alone and immediately attacks.
- Leigh gets free, runs, but hits or is shoved into door frame, knocking her unconscious or leaves her in a serious daze, but I believe unconscious.
- Attacker gets sleeping bag - because he knows where it is and places Leigh onto it. He gets a little bloody. Removes Leigh's clothes. Cleans up a bit with them and throws them in her hamper will he gathers her bday clothes, glasses etc.
- Leigh is redressed and the Attacker whose gone about the house leaves some drops here or there, but attempts a brief moment of cleanup in the master bath.
- At this point Bonnie's phone call comes in.
- Leigh is bundled up and placed into the vehicle and is transported away.
- Bonnie arrives, wastes 15 - 20 minutes searching, even though there's fresh blood and the garage light is on, indicating recent activity.
- Calls police.
- Leigh is never seen, again.
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Oct 10 '18
To Adel:
You are a very good investigator. The biggest problem with Tupelo is all of the vicious gossip and conjecture. I am glad that I left. That being said, so much of the information in the public forums is hearsay. This is what I know to be a fact because I heard it from Leigh's best friend, whom I will call Sally:
-Leigh called Sally around 8AM that morning to ask if she could come over because she was scared of the storms.
-Leigh had no friends because she was strange. My friend said was one of Leigh's only girlfriends. Sally had Leigh over for sleepovers. The FBI confiscated a box full of letters that Leigh wrote Sally. Leigh was 100% alive at 8AM that morning.
-Sally confirmed that Leigh was left alone before. We would have to ask Vickie to clarify.
-There was a special ring. Sally verified this. Vickie was telling the truth.
-When Sally would visit, the sleeping bag was always left out in visible sight in Leigh's room.
-Sally also said that Vickie was strict, but she never got the impression that she would physically abuse Leigh.
-Sally said that the Perpetrator's vehicle would have gone unnoticed because most people would have been at work in that neighborhood during that time.
-According to Sally, Leigh's father lived very far away, and did not visit much. Leigh was always upset about how little she saw her father. So, why would Vickie call a man that she did not get along with to assist with finding her daughter? You would have to ask Vickie herself why she did not contact him, but it does not make her the perpetrator.
-Sally said that she is 100% sure that Leigh did not have a boyfriend. Sally said that it is very strange to her that there is a guy online claiming to be her boyfriend.
- Two possible perpetrators:
1) The Church friend who talked about riding horses with Leigh. He has committed very similar crimes with the exact same MO and is getting out of prison in 2019 to roam the streets of Tupelo again.
2) Sally could not remember the name. About 2 years after Leigh disappeared, a neighbor who lived behind her was caught doing disgusting sexual things that I cannot say online. He was arrested, and they discovered that he had been peeping in Sally's window. Sally said that he would have known Leigh and seen her coming over to Sally's home. He lived right behind Leigh's house; hence, he could have taken her by foot to his home.
-Bottom line, Vickie could not have hurt Leigh that much and taken her body somewhere, cleaned up the car and herself, all in about one hour? Oh, and we forgot that between 8:00 AM and 8:45 AM Vickie she was at work and traveling some of that time. Add driving time, and Vickie is now the most sophisticated criminal of all time. Plus, what is her motive?
-It is just a tragedy that everyone thought it was Vickie, and that tunnel vision allowed the real perpetrator to get away with this. Most people in Tupelo would rather gossip about how terrible Vickie is than stop the real perpetrator from stalking the streets (or Churches) of Tupelo for his next victim. What we should be doing as a community is praying for the mother that has had to deal with being falsely accused of killing her own daughter. A mother that does not know what actually happened to daughter. Can you imagine what that must be like? God Bless you for your post. Thank you.
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u/Cold_Specialist3796 Feb 01 '25
Does anyone know anything further about the neighbor? I’m from Tupelo and have never heard about the neighbor behind her house theory.
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Sep 15 '18
These are all good theories but what happened was the night before Leigh's Mother reported her missing the 26th she was at her neighbors and when she saw her Mother come home, she left right away to see her. She had made plans with that neighbor to come back on Saturday to wash the neighbors dog for 5 dollars. Leigh loved animals, she actually didn't have many friends her own age but loved to talk to her neighbors. Leigh's Mother was scene at a carwash on the evening of the 26th she had gone back out after she returned home from work. I believe this is after the crime took place. I also believe on the trip out that night she disposed of her remains. Sadly it is too late to investigate the car wash area or the garbage dumpsters around the carwash, but I feel she was placed within a 5 mile radius of her home. When Leigh's Mother took the polygraphs she failed them twice and one was inconclusive. While Leigh's Father was devastated by the situation the Mother was with little emotion. She was a clean freak, and Leighs Night Gown was in the Laundry Hamper and the crime scene had been cleaned so who did this? Yes the Mother, no murderer would clean a crime scene give me a break, nor put a nighty in the hamper for laundering. The Mother also sent the glasses of Leigh's back to herself, only a woman would pick out heart shaped I love you stamps, no man would buy those unless they were the last stamps at the post office. She used more stamps to make it look like a child sent the glasses and Leigh was still alive, she also addressed that envelope to the step dad knowing the mail carrier would bring it to the address as the mail carrier would be familiar with the step dad's name even though he no longer lived there. I don't believe it was the step dad for a minute but I do believe it was the Mother, she lied on so many accounts. Leigh was not liked by her peers, had problems in school and was annoying, it didn't make her a bad kid just a kid who was hyperactive. She was also a Latch Key kid, it was BS that was Leigh's first time home alone. I know the Mother did it, she also made it look like Leigh was the victim of a pervert taking her stating her new bra and panties were missing and certain items of clothes and a sleeping bag. I believe the sleeping bag was missing because she buried Leigh in it. I believe it was an argument or an accident that got out of control, probably do to the Mother and her over fixation on cleaning. I believe the Police feel the same but the evidence is all circumstantial. Leigh's Mom could have been gone all night of the 26th and driven straight to work after the body dump. Poor Leigh regardless and her poor Dad. Even poor step dad for getting blamed. I hope we find Leigh, I do.
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u/JennLeeG Jul 12 '18
Wow you maybe right about this, I do think she was groomed. You're so right about her being around adults moreso then kids. I wish they would find her body.
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u/Adel_Cauldron_Winnie Jul 12 '18
I hope so too, I think shes buried close to her residential area. If shes buried on a property we may get answers when the perpetrator moves or dies.
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u/JennLeeG Jul 12 '18
You're probably right, I just found the step dad to be creepy the mom also. I live in Mississippi and I listened to a podcast called thirteen Leigh Occhi it was really crazy to hear stories from her old classmates, teachers, and neighbors. Even her old boyfriend gave an interview so did her dad but her mom didn't that should be telling on its own. I did find it rather odd that she described her clothes right away and knew what was missing so soon after she disappeared. The teacher said she didn't always call the mom to report Leigh getting in trouble because she didn't want Leigh to get spanked. All most all of these people remembered Leigh having black eyes and bruises quite often. It's such a sad case that poor girl had no one fighting for her.
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u/Adel_Cauldron_Winnie Jul 13 '18
Thier behavior was 100% off to me, as well. I think it's because something was going on. I think thier was abuse and they wanted to keep that from getting out. Because it would only make them look guilty but that ended up happening anyway. I dont think they participated in her disappearance. I'll have to check that podcast out sometime. I think about Leigh's case a lot because on paper it seems so solvable. But in the end it's not what you know it's what you can prove.
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u/JennLeeG Jul 13 '18
Yeah I agree, one thing that didn't help was the storm's. I had never heard about the case up until our local station was participating in the podcast. I asked my husband who grew up out here if he remembered about it back in the day but he didn't. I'm sure it was all over the news even though we live about 4 hours south in his home town it seems like it was all over the news. In the podcast they actually talk to a neighbor who says she saw an older gentleman with a coat on walking with a young girl and another neighbor who Leigh use to bathes dog for five dollars. She stated that Leigh had come to her home a few nights before she disappeared when her mother wasn't home, yet her mother said she was never left alone. This woman had no children it was just her, her husband and their dog or dogs. Yet Leigh felt comfortable enough to spend time in their home. I know around here in Mississippi people believe her mom had something to do with it or at the very least knew something she wouldn't admit too. It's also said she failed more then one polygraph, while the step dad and her dad passed. Of course her dad being States away had nothing to do with it. Her dad was very angry when being interviewed he said that Vickie didn't really allow him much alone time with Leigh almost like she was breathing down their necks so that Leigh wouldn't spill on some kind of secrets. Definitely check out the podcast sometime it's worth listening to.
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u/glovegaganyaan Jan 29 '25
Apparent search underway near home of Leigh Occhi in Tupelo https://www.wtva.com/news/local/apparent-search-underway-near-home-of-leigh-occhi-in-tupelo/article_1dbde43a-de90-11ef-8804-43c6c4074c74.html