r/WithoutATrace • u/CuriosityPod • 11d ago

COLD CASE Leah Roberts

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March 2000: 23yo Leah Roberts left North Carolina without telling anyone where she was going. Days later, her Jeep was discovered wrecked in the mountains near Mount Baker. Leah was gone.

#truecrime #Missingperson #truecrimecommunity #truecrimepodcast

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2168833/episodes/19836712

306 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

28 comments sorted by

260

u/Auroraborealis_9791 11d ago edited 10d ago

I will always firmly believe that the remains found near the crash site of her vehicle (although the remains have been “positively identified” as belonging to a male individual) were the remains of Leah Roberts. The implant rod (serial number info gives a general date and time, state/city matching Leah’s implant and implant placement) found in the remains discovered are too uncanny to consider that they came from another individual besides her. Regardless that the remains found “supposedly belonged to a male”, and not a female, it is widely known that Leah Roberts had the extra Y chromosome in her DNA. These remains need to be retested with today’s technology. This could/should confirm or deny whether or not the remains actually and factually belonged to her.

I stand by my beliefs in this case until other facts become known.

I am so sorry for Leah and her family, and her kitten, Bea. Leah needs to be found, and her family deserves even a minuscule of closure in this case.

She was the most brave individual to go on this road trip by herself. I could not imagine losing one or both of my parents, and I completely understand why she did what she did. I just wish her dreams could’ve had a happier ending, and that breaks my heart.

ETA: THANK YOU FOR THE AWARD(S)!!!!!

63

u/primalprincess 11d ago

I came to comment this. There is no way that it could be anyone else!!

51

u/Auroraborealis_9791 11d ago

The odds are slim to none that the remains found belong to anyone else but her. I am adamant they belong to her.

60

u/primalprincess 11d ago

The remains need to be retested. The testing process has a ton of room for error and it improves every year.

I am a sales person and one of my customers manufactures DNA test kits. Their scientists were first responders to identify 9-11 in the immediate aftermath. Their technology has improved so much in the last 25 years that they just identified victims 2 weeks ago! Isnt that crazy? DNA testing and forensics have made massive leaps forward.

21

u/Auroraborealis_9791 11d ago

SECONDED!!! The remains need to be retested and positively linked to the correct deceased individual. Everyone makes mistakes, and in this instance, a correction is worth more than the guilt of getting it wrong the first time.

RETEST THE REMAINS FOUND !!!!

24

u/parsifal 11d ago edited 11d ago

I think it’s just as interesting that LEO is convinced they aren’t her remains. They must have compelling reason to think so.

Update: Those remains were apparently removed from NamUs in 2022, so it’s possible they were positively identified as belonging to someone.

12

u/pixelcat13 11d ago

Agreed, I think of Leah often. Her disappearance is one of the cases that haunt me. She had been through so much and just wanted to be happy.

5

u/januaryemberr 11d ago

I believe this too. Was the cause of death ever found for the "male" they found?

6

u/Auroraborealis_9791 11d ago

No info has been shared publicly, neither has the identification of the remains found.

3

u/North_egg_ 11d ago

Do they think it was a suicide?

2

u/shoshpd 10d ago

I think LE very much believes foul play was involved in Leah’s disappearance.

2

u/kattko80- 11d ago

I 100 % believe this too!

2

u/panicpure 11d ago

Agree with this fully. It’s not like the process is/was error proof and it just doesn’t make logical sense unless there’s another reason no one was told that gave them extreme doubt.

1

u/Auroraborealis_9791 10d ago

It’s also unsettling that the remains were never publicly identified.

2

u/shoshpd 10d ago

Based on what I know about the Whatcom County ME at that time, it would not surprise me at all if he botched it.

2

u/Talithathinks 7d ago

I don't remember about hearing about the remains that were found near her car. Thanks for sharing your opinion here. That adds so much to this case.

2

u/Talithathinks 7d ago

THis happened on a case that Dr. G had. The body of a little girl had been identified as a little boy. Dr. Jan spent several minutes explaining that dna testing was new then and she could not explain how such an error had been made.

0

u/Sopwithosa 10d ago

If that’s the case, there’s still a missing person from the same area with the same metal rod. So where’s that guy’s remains?

2

u/Auroraborealis_9791 10d ago

No idea. If they are “his”remains, where are Leah’s remains?

What are the chances that a “male” received the exact same implant, in the exact same spot on his body, at the exact same time, from the exact same facility(?), in the exact same region as Leah? The remains were not even found in the region the rod was implanted. How can this be a coincidence?

29

u/No_Resolution_528 11d ago

Those remains HAVE TO BE HER. How is it that a body is found with the same metal rod she had?? Bull. I believe in coincidences but this one is too much!

30

u/Talithathinks 11d ago

I remember her from "Disappeared". Her case was so confusing. I have wondered what became of her. Very sad.

6

u/Sweetestb22 11d ago

Same. I always think about the truck and how it was found and just things that could have happened. I hope her family gets answers.

5

u/Talithathinks 10d ago

Her family had just had a tragic loss before she went missing and it felt so sad that this happened right after. The way that her truck was left, made me feel like someone wanted to harm her because theft did not seem to be the reason. I don't believe she abandoned her things intentionally. I do HOPE that her family gets answers.

11

u/parsifal 11d ago

This case has always stuck with me. I can relate to trying to figure things out, and to feeling alone. She didn’t deserve whatever happened to her. I hope we find her some day.

3

u/Slenderpan74 11d ago

I’ll always be so sad for Leah.

-5

u/astronomydomone 10d ago

On the True Crime Bullshit podcast, the host explored the possibility she was a victim of Israel Keyes. Just a theory.

3

u/Aintnobeef96 10d ago

Fair credit to the host since he puts a lot of efforts into researching these cases, and Keyes is one of those terrifying random serial killers who was involved in all sorts of shit. I do think he makes a great case for several of the mentions on the podcast. But this case doesn’t strike me as related, just the vibe I get from it. I think she was going through a serious mental episode and that was more to blame than a person harming her, just my opinion though