Washington : Leah Roberts
This week we are navigating advocacy near Desolation Peak which is a prominent mountain located in the North Cascades region of Washington State. It is known for its rugged beauty, remote location, and its historical significance, particularly as the site where the famous Beat Generation author Jack Kerouac (care-row-ack) spent 63 days as a fire lookout in the summer of 1956. His experiences on Desolation Peak inspired his novel "Desolation Angels." This particular peak rises to an elevation of 6,102 feet and offers breathtaking views of the surrounding wilderness. This mountain has inspired not only hikers and backpackers but those looking for a deeper meaning to life, just like a young woman named Leah Roberts.
Leah's life began on a warm summer day, July 23rd, 1976, in the heart of Durham, North Carolina. She arrived as the youngest member of her family, blessed with two older siblings who would significantly shape her life. But as the years unfolded, life began to cast a shadow over Leah’s young life.
At the tender age of 17, Leah faced her first brush with devastation when her father received a harrowing diagnosis—a relentless lung disease. The weight of uncertainty and fear hung heavy, but Leah's spirit remained unbroken. Yet, fate was not done testing the resilience of this young woman. While diligently pursuing her dreams in college, life would strike again. Suddenly, her world was shattered when her beloved mother succumbed to heart disease.
Leah's journey, marked by the profound loss, would go on to reveal her remarkable strength and unwavering determination in the face of adversity. She took some time off of school, but then tragedy would hit Leah again just as she was getting back into school. Leah was involved in a devastating car accident where she nearly lost her own life. The very next year, her father passed. So many tragic events during her college years definitely left Leah as a shell of her former self. Leah dropped out of college even though she was just a few months away from graduating. She became wrapped up in poetry, photography, and other hobbies, including Beat Generation.
In case you do not know what Beat Generation is, I googled it because I didn't know either. The Beat Generation was a literary and cultural movement that emerged in the mid-20th century, particularly in the 1950s. It was characterized by a group of American writers who rebelled against societal norms, materialism, and the conformity of the post-World War II era. The Beat Generation writers were known for their experimentation with language, spirituality exploration, and mainstream culture critique. Some of the key figures associated with the Beat Generation include Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and William S. Burroughs.
On the crisp evening of March 9, 2000, Leah's voice danced through the phone as she shared a sisterly connection, casually delving into the everyday intricacies of life. They laughed and shared, and it was a conversation that seemed like any other between sisters. Little did anyone know the fate that loomed in the shadows. Leah made arrangements to babysit with a dear friend the following day, a promise that would go unfulfilled. With the sun's rise on March 10th, Leah was nowhere to be found, leaving her friend waiting in vain. As hours turned into agonizing days, the world outside seemed to hold its breath, and by March 11th, the slight concern turned into true worry.
In a quest for answers, her sister ventured to Leah's home, hoping to find some type of clues amidst the familiar surroundings. Her eyes fell upon a scribbled note as she combed through Leah's personal space. The words spoke of a quest, a journey into self-discovery that had beckoned Leah away.
Intrigued yet perplexed, she dug deeper into Leah's financial records. A trail of cash withdrawals unfolded like breadcrumbs, leading them to a singular destination - the rugged beauty of the West Coast. She remembered the allure of Washington, a place Leah had often dreamt of, might be where Leah ventured to.
Days turned into a worrisome haze, and their search extended far and wide. But the final flicker of Leah's presence materialized in Brooks, Oregon, where her credit cards had last used on March 13th.
Two long and perplexing weeks had passed since Leah’s departure from North Carolina, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions. It was an ordinary day for a pair of joggers that went for their scenic trail run. Their attention was stolen by a peculiar sight, a few articles of clothing amidst the Cascade Mountains scenery. Curiosity lured their gaze downward, where they spotted a battered vehicle nestled in a ravine. The call to the authorities initiated a haunting investigation. As the officers combed through the scene, they found quite a few clues. Blankets hung from the vehicle's windows as if someone had sought refuge against the unforgiving elements. Leah’s life or what remained of it lay scattered before their eyes shoes, garments, well-loved books, cherished cds, even her checkbook, and her prized guitar. Also among the items was Leah’s mother's engagement ring, an heirloom etched with memories her family insisted she wouldn't leave behind intentionally. Yet, amid all of these items, Bea, Leah’s faithful feline companion, was nowhere to be found, leaving another void in the puzzle. As they continued their search, it led to more questions than answers. A substantial stash of cash around the amount of $2500 dollars, a gas receipt, and a solitary movie ticket stuf for American Beauty were uncovered. Yes, the silent landscape offered no clues of a struggle or a trace of blood. The proximity of the vehicle to the road hinted at the possibility that Leah had made her way to civilization. With each discovery, the mystery deepened.
Authorities stated the vehicle had to be traveling at least 40 miles per hour, and there was no evidence of a driver not being in the vehicle when it went off the side of the cliff. Authorities spoke with the witnesses that may have run into Leah in the last few days she was active. He stated Leah seemed confused. For some reason, the call was disconnected, and this man never called back, and they did not get his name or contact information, so they were unable to follow up. Here is a statement from Sgt. Kevin McFadden, the leading investigator,, "With the speed that the vehicle was traveling and the amount of damage to the vehicle, you would anticipate some type of injury to the person inside, At least some type of evidence to indicate contact damage, that the person had been inside the vehicle. There's nothing to indicate the wheel was tied and that it was pushed off the road. We couldn't find any marks on the back that indicated anybody had pushed it to where it was. If you had somebody driving the vehicle and they jumped out, you would have taken your life into your own hands trying to jump out of the vehicle at that speed.” He also stated, “We brought in dogs, we brought in search and rescue, and did a complete grid search up and down the road. But they weren’t able to find any indication that anybody had left that vehicle.”
Leah’s friends and family believed she was trying to make her way to Desolation Peak, the place she longed to find herself. This is a disappearance that had many initial theories. One was Leah making it out of the vehicle, then up to the road, then possibly picked up as she hitchhiked by a serial killer, or honestly anyone that would want to cause harm to this young woman. Information came out that a man was with Leah just before she vanished. Could this person have nefarious intentions and have done something with her? Could the crash have made her already slightly unstable mental illness even more pronounced with amnesia or another type of medical issue? Was this all Leah’s plan to begin with? Did she essentially fake her own death to start something new, a spiritual awakening that had her wanting to begin a new life without anything from the past looming over her head?
In 2006, Leah’s vehicle was reexamined, and I have to say I did not see this coming when I first started researching this case. Upon the reexamination of the car, they found a specific wire had been cut. This would have allowed the car to accelerate without anyone depressing the gas pedal, confirming early suspicions that no one had been in the car when it left the road and thus had been purposely wrecked. They also found a fingerprint under the hood and some male DNA on an article of Leah's clothing. This is like a bombshell of information that proves someone else was most likely involved in Leah’s disappearance.
Leah was 5 foot 6 inches tall and weighed 130 pounds. She had sandy blond hair and blue eyes. Leah had a Surgical scar on her right hip. Metal rod inside the entire length of her right femur. Beauty mark above her right upper lip and her ears were pierced.
If you or someone you know has information regarding Roberts's disappearance, you can contact Whatcom County Sheriff's Office at 360-778-6600. Or you can call the Whatcom Communication Dispatch Center at 360-676-6711.
