Posted on 02/14/2014 6:45:14 AM PST by Uncle Chip
Law enforcement officials in Texas announced this evening that they found a body believed to be that of a woman who went missing nearly a month ago after returning from a two-year trip around the world.
Leanne Hecht Bearden, 33, was last seen January 17 when she told her in-laws in Garden Ridge near San Antonio that she was going for a walk. She has not been heard from since.
The woman and her husband, Joshua Bearden, were staying with his parents after returning from their travels earlier this month.
City Police Chief Donna O'Conner said just after 1pm Thursday, they received a call from a Garden Ridge homeowner saying that he had found a body in a wooded area near his residence, CNN reported.
Officers who responded to the scene came upon what is now believed to be Leanne Bearden's body.
Police are not disclosing the cause of death pending the results of the autopsy that will be performed on the remains.....
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
“...the area where her body was found was not included in the 23-square-mile multiagency search. Bearden’s body was found in a neighborhood that searchers understood had already been covered by the family, he said.”
Never ever trust amateurs to do your job for you.
how about with the same people but also trapped on the its a small world ride with the song playing for x hours?
I can’t imagine how the SMELL wasn’t investigated by the homeowner or near neighbors.
Reason I ask is there's a big difference between hanging *from* a tree and hanging *in* a tree. A 130lb mountain lion can drag a small woman up in a tree effortlessly, and with the lakes and creeks in the neighborhood, the area could be hunting grounds for a cat.
A fair number of women do hang themselves, it’s just less common than for men.
I don’t know about the smell. As other posters have speculated, it could have to do with weather, temperatures, wind, blowflies and other scavengers. You do hear of corpses in trunks, storage units, etc. that go undetected. Some places have a dry climate where they mummify, but I don’t think there’s anything quite like that in Texas.
I have also heard of areas that had been presumably thoroughly searched where the missing person is found. There was a case of a middle aged hippie woman who went missing from a Rainbow Family gathering written up in Seattle Weekly. Remains were eventually found, in a well-searched area. My theory was that there was no foul play, but she fell and hit her head on a rock, was somehow hidden and moved around by scavengers. I’m a true crime buff and have noticed that vegetation and natural hiding places—crevices, cave-like things and so on can be missed by searchers. Ann Rule writes about a case of a California businessman, Jerry Harris, who disappeared and was found in a natural cavity in the Nevada desert. I think it was the mummifying type of climate. In his case it was murder—jealous business partner was the perp.
I do think that they need to do an autopsy and have an inquest here. I would also see if she has any life insurance policy, who’s the beneficiary and when it was taken out.
I would like to ask Mr Pyles if any of those 12 teams of canines, which included cadaver dogs, began their search at the house where she had been living.
If not then why not???
If they did start there then how come none of those 12 canine teams, including cadaver dogs, led them to this area where her body was found??
Also, in a case like this, based on previous cases with women missing, would not the family (as in Husband or others) be of interest? So, why would you take their word that they searched or that they did a thorough job? You now have dogs searching. You would supposedly start from scratch. And go over any area not searched with canines.
My feeling is this case is going to end up with a far different conclusion than what it is now. I hope not.
A good question. But my understanding of what was quoted is that they didn’t start
at ground zero but spread out to other areas. Like you I’d think one group would
have used the dogs around the immediate area.
Good Point —
This police chief may be in a little trouble here.
I think so, too. Why didn’t she take her cell phone with her on her hike? S&R could have GPSd her location. Wouldn’t you insist your wife take her phone if she was going out into the woods alone, woods she wasn’t familiar with?
The LEO search started at the house and then spread out cone-shaped to the north. The house was ground zero and the command center and tip of the cone. There is nowhere else where the dogs could have or would have started that makes sense or scents.
In one article I read the dogs supposedly followed a scent up to 3009 and Treadwell and then lost it.
Some were speculating that if this is true then she may have gotten in a car at that point and that’s why the dogs lost the scent.
I guess we’ll have to wait for more details.
3009 and Treadwell
**************
I don’t find a Treadwell anywhere around the location of where she started or was found.
There is a Teakwood Dr. that intersects with 3009 and could have been a route she would have walked.
Who knows until they release more info after the autopsy is completed.
my mistake — Teakwood
Draw a line from the house to where the found her body. Extend the line to the road. And search that area for any clues!
The search that they went on took them to the north toward Garden Ridge Elementary.
Where her body was found was outside the search cone parameters.
The question is:
Did she go directly to where she was found or circle back or in a round about way????
You’re right Army Guy. 9 out 10 victims know their assailants. This sounds like the ‘husband’ killed her and his parents helped him cover it up. Who the hell goes around the world for two years and then goes ‘out for a walk’ the moment you get home?? And cripes Almighty! when are searchers going to learn that the body ALWAYS shows up less than a mile from where they were last seen!!!
she went with him on a two year trip
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