242:
to clean the scene. Felton claimed that several of her daughter's articles of clothing were missing; inside a laundry hamper in the house, detectives discovered a bloodied nightgown belonging to Occhi. Tupelo Police Chief Bart
Aguirre stated: "Because it looked like the blood had dripped down onto her nightgown, you would think the injury had to be above the neck possibly." The house showed no signs of forced entry.
246:
that child to death in that house." He also stated that, while searching for his daughter in Tupelo in
September 1992, he was told by several locals to "look at her mother"; however, he commented: "I already was doing that. I don’t know if her mother was involved." Additionally, rumors circulated alleging that Occhi's stepfather, Barney Yarborough—whom her mother had recently
224:
the garage door open and the light on; entering the house, she noticed blood smeared on the side of the wall. "I started calling for Leigh and going through all the rooms," Felton said. "Then I went into her bedroom. Her favorite blanket was crumpled up on the floor and I was very scared." After seeing this, Felton called
245:
Immediately following Occhi's disappearance, organized searches were conducted around Tupelo, mainly through wooded areas, but they proved fruitless. Occhi's father, Donald, felt that his daughter "was dead the day my ex-wife called me and told me she was missing. My theory is that some bastard beat
241:
Upon further inspection of the house, law enforcement found additional pools of blood in Occhi's upstairs bedroom, as well as significant portions smeared in the hallway, bathroom, and on her bedroom door. The blood found in the bathroom indicated to law enforcement that a perpetrator had attempted
223:
was headed for Tupelo, and phoned her house to inform her daughter some time before 9:00 a.m. When Occhi failed to answer, Felton became worried and left her job to check on her, driving approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) back to her home. According to Felton, upon returning home, she found
136:
Searches in and around Tupelo proved fruitless. On
September 9, 1992, Occhi's eyeglasses were mailed to her home in an envelope, addressed to her ex-stepfather; law enforcement deemed this action a ruse to distract detectives in their search efforts. In November 1993, a human skull discovered in a
330:
field was that of Occhi. Several days later, however, the identification was retracted. In this retraction, it was stated the state medical examiner would perform further forensic testing on the skull, which had been uncovered by a farmer in a ditch along the soybean field. It was subsequently
282:; however, the child in question was determined to have been someone else. Five days later, on September 9, a package containing Occhi's glasses was mailed to the residence at Honey Locust Drive, addressed to Yarborough. The package was postmarked from Booneville. After this development, the
356:: "You still can’t eliminate her. There are still too many unanswered questions for Vickie, and I don’t know if that is unusual for somebody to go off to work and say, well I just left Leigh but I’m going to call and check on her. Why check on her that soon after she just left her?"
351:
After
Yarborough passed his polygraph examination, Felton was administered three separate examinations—one with local law enforcement, and two with the FBI. Independent examiners stated she showed deception on all of them. In 2017, Aguirre stated that Felton was still considered a
359:
Felton disputes that she had any involvement in her daughter's disappearance, and has openly stated that she believes a man named Oscar McKinley "Mike" Kearns was responsible for her daughter's kidnapping. Kearns was convicted in 1999 for kidnapping a couple and
341:"This coward must have really felt like a tough man or woman to beat a little girl to death. Often, I cannot help but think of how horrified Leigh must have been while this piece of garbage beat her to death and watched her bleed out in the hall."
375:
For the latter crime, Kearns was sentenced to over eight years of incarceration, but served only half of his sentence, and was released in 1997 before committing the kidnapping and rape that resulted in his subsequent conviction.
31:
203:
On the morning of August 27, 1992, Leigh Occhi, then age 13, was left at her home at 105 Honey Locust Drive in Tupelo, when her mother departed for her job at approximately 8:00 a.m. Occhi had planned to attend an
811:
297:
Aguirre stated he felt the glasses were mailed as a distraction: "There was no ransom letter or anything like that that came with those glasses. It was just those glasses. You would think if it was an actual
718:
137:
soybean field was erroneously attributed to Occhi, but this link was later retracted and the skull was positively identified as that of an adult woman who had gone missing in an adjacent town.
431:
122:
754:
819:
726:
859:
537:
290:
testing on the stamps adhered to the envelope in which the glasses were mailed. However, it was determined they had been adhered with water rather than
693:
603:
451:
839:
133:. Her mother, Vickie Felton, returned home on the morning of August 27, 1992, to find Occhi missing and evidence of blood in the house.
854:
744:
364:
the woman, and, nine months after Occhi disappeared, kidnapped a ninth-grade girl he had met through a Tupelo church, raping her in
187:, but remained in contact with his daughter, who visited him there. Occhi resided in the United States with her mother, settling in
283:
864:
869:
844:
796:
331:
determined that the skull belonged to 27-year-old
Pollyanna Sue Keith, a woman who had gone missing in March 1993.
320:
551:
849:
504:
461:
542:
396:
275:
146:
703:
589:
465:
140:
Despite numerous searches, Occhi's whereabouts remain unknown. Her case has received media coverage from
125:
August 27, 1992) is an
American who vanished under mysterious circumstances as a teenager at her home in
800:. Greenwood, Mississippi. The Associated Press. November 14, 1994. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
259:
791:
874:
698:
311:
254:
toward Occhi. Yarborough was ruled out by law enforcement, however, after providing a substantiated
390:
205:
188:
126:
73:
773:
638:
365:
353:
315:
176:
247:
220:
130:
278:
told law enforcement that they had seen a girl resembling Occhi in a car in the restaurant
777:. Jackson, Mississippi. The Associated Press. November 9, 1993 – via Newspapers.com.
768:
644:
633:
547:
183:, and married in 1977. The couple eventually divorced in 1981. Donald Occhi relocated to
84:
833:
279:
271:
209:
479:
414:
219:
Shortly after arriving at her office, Felton was notified that a storm related to
508:
599:
385:
251:
192:
141:
533:
409:
299:
180:
369:
326:
had positively confirmed via dental records that a human skull found in a
749:
270:
On
September 4, 1992, eight days after Occhi went missing, a worker at a
213:
168:
55:
30:
456:
401:
327:
323:
184:
151:
212:
that day with her grandmother. At the time, Occhi's father resided in
745:"Mississippi Teen's Mysterious Disappearance Examined In New Podcast"
291:
172:
59:
346:—Donald Occhi on his belief regarding his daughter's disappearance
302:, you would have expected a little more to come along with that."
255:
225:
812:"A podcast exploring the mystery of what happened to Leigh Occhi"
361:
594:
538:"The Mysterious Disappearance of Leigh Marine Occhi – Part II"
400:. In 2017, the disappearance was the subject of a six-episode
287:
818:. Tupelo, Mississippi. September 24, 2017. Archived from
175:, to Donald Occhi and Vickie Felton, both members of the
769:"Remains of Tupelo teenager missing since August found"
286:
became involved in the search for Occhi, and performed
719:"25 years later, Leigh Occhi case remains a mystery"
702:. Washington, D.C. Associated Press. Archived from
99:
91:
80:
67:
37:
21:
150:, as well as an extensive independently-produced
167:Leigh Marine Occhi was born August 21, 1979, in
339:
632:Kraft, Beverly Pettigrew (December 26, 1998).
515:(27–53). U.S. Government Printing Office: 192.
509:"Missing and Exploited Children: Leigh Occhi"
8:
310:On November 9, 1993, it was reported in the
417:, The Trail Went Cold, Big Mad True Crime,
786:
784:
384:Occhi's disappearance has been covered by
29:
18:
627:
625:
623:
621:
590:"Teen vanished during Hurricane Andrew"
528:
526:
524:
522:
443:
606:from the original on December 17, 2009
505:United States Internal Revenue Service
757:from the original on August 28, 2018.
725:. Tupelo, Mississippi. Archived from
717:Moore, William (September 24, 2017).
687:
685:
683:
681:
679:
677:
675:
583:
581:
579:
577:
575:
573:
571:
569:
408:. The case has also been featured on
7:
738:
736:
673:
671:
669:
667:
665:
663:
661:
659:
657:
655:
642:. Jackson, Mississippi. pp. 1,
860:Missing person cases in Mississippi
634:"No answers, no peace for families"
464:. February 18, 2015. Archived from
16:1992 American missing teenager case
792:"Skull puzzles Monroe authorities"
692:Moore, William (October 8, 2017).
588:Weed, Alexis (November 13, 2009).
179:. The couple met while serving in
95:4 ft 10 in (1.47 m)
87:for 32 years and 1 month
14:
743:Lohr, David (January 24, 2018).
306:Erroneous attribution of remains
228:at approximately 9:00 a.m.
432:List of people who disappeared
406:13: The Search for Leigh Occhi
71:August 27, 1992 (aged 13)
1:
388:and was also featured on the
546:. The Criminal Report Blog.
648:– via Newspapers.com.
891:
840:1990s missing person cases
797:The Greenwood Commonwealth
855:Missing American children
694:"The case of Leigh Occhi"
513:Internal Revenue Bulletin
28:
462:Fox Broadcasting Company
543:Investigation Discovery
335:Subsequent developments
729:on September 24, 2017.
460:. Memphis, Tennessee:
343:
237:Initial search efforts
109:Vickie Felton (mother)
822:on December 16, 2017.
266:Mailing of eyeglasses
260:polygraph examination
106:Donald Occhi (father)
865:People from Honolulu
699:The Washington Times
480:"Leigh Marine Occhi"
870:Tupelo, Mississippi
845:1992 in Mississippi
750:The Huffington Post
706:on October 8, 2017.
484:The Charley Project
391:Geraldo Rivera Show
127:Tupelo, Mississippi
74:Tupelo, Mississippi
774:The Clarion-Ledger
639:The Clarion-Ledger
354:person of interest
177:United States Army
119:Leigh Marine Occhi
42:Leigh Marine Occhi
554:on August 3, 2009
536:(July 28, 2009).
468:on June 26, 2017.
121:(August 21, 1979—
116:
115:
882:
850:Hurricane Andrew
824:
823:
808:
802:
801:
788:
779:
778:
765:
759:
758:
740:
731:
730:
714:
708:
707:
689:
650:
649:
647:
629:
616:
615:
613:
611:
585:
564:
563:
561:
559:
530:
517:
516:
501:
495:
494:
492:
490:
476:
470:
469:
448:
347:
221:Hurricane Andrew
131:Hurricane Andrew
51:
49:
33:
19:
890:
889:
885:
884:
883:
881:
880:
879:
830:
829:
828:
827:
810:
809:
805:
790:
789:
782:
767:
766:
762:
742:
741:
734:
716:
715:
711:
691:
690:
653:
643:
631:
630:
619:
609:
607:
587:
586:
567:
557:
555:
548:Discovery, Inc.
532:
531:
520:
503:
502:
498:
488:
486:
478:
477:
473:
450:
449:
445:
440:
428:
382:
349:
345:
337:
308:
268:
239:
234:
201:
165:
160:
112:
72:
63:
53:
52:August 21, 1979
47:
45:
44:
43:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
888:
886:
878:
877:
872:
867:
862:
857:
852:
847:
842:
832:
831:
826:
825:
803:
780:
760:
732:
709:
651:
617:
565:
550:Archived from
518:
496:
471:
442:
441:
439:
436:
435:
434:
427:
424:
381:
378:
338:
336:
333:
316:Clarion-Ledger
307:
304:
267:
264:
258:and passing a
238:
235:
233:
230:
200:
197:
164:
161:
159:
156:
114:
113:
111:
110:
107:
103:
101:
97:
96:
93:
89:
88:
82:
78:
77:
69:
65:
64:
54:
41:
39:
35:
34:
26:
25:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
887:
876:
873:
871:
868:
866:
863:
861:
858:
856:
853:
851:
848:
846:
843:
841:
838:
837:
835:
821:
817:
816:Daily Journal
813:
807:
804:
799:
798:
793:
787:
785:
781:
776:
775:
770:
764:
761:
756:
752:
751:
746:
739:
737:
733:
728:
724:
723:Daily Journal
720:
713:
710:
705:
701:
700:
695:
688:
686:
684:
682:
680:
678:
676:
674:
672:
670:
668:
666:
664:
662:
660:
658:
656:
652:
646:
641:
640:
635:
628:
626:
624:
622:
618:
605:
601:
597:
596:
591:
584:
582:
580:
578:
576:
574:
572:
570:
566:
553:
549:
545:
544:
539:
535:
529:
527:
525:
523:
519:
514:
510:
506:
500:
497:
485:
481:
475:
472:
467:
463:
459:
458:
453:
452:"Leigh Occhi"
447:
444:
437:
433:
430:
429:
425:
423:
422:
418:
416:
411:
407:
403:
399:
398:
393:
392:
387:
379:
377:
373:
371:
367:
363:
357:
355:
348:
342:
334:
332:
329:
325:
322:
321:Monroe County
318:
317:
313:
305:
303:
301:
295:
293:
289:
285:
281:
280:drive-through
277:
273:
265:
263:
261:
257:
253:
249:
243:
236:
232:Investigation
231:
229:
227:
222:
217:
215:
211:
210:middle school
207:
199:Disappearance
198:
196:
194:
190:
186:
182:
178:
174:
170:
162:
157:
155:
153:
149:
148:
143:
138:
134:
132:
128:
124:
120:
108:
105:
104:
102:
98:
94:
90:
86:
83:
79:
75:
70:
66:
61:
57:
40:
36:
32:
27:
20:
820:the original
815:
806:
795:
772:
763:
748:
727:the original
722:
712:
704:the original
697:
637:
610:November 12,
608:. Retrieved
598:. New York:
593:
556:. Retrieved
552:the original
541:
512:
499:
489:November 11,
487:. Retrieved
483:
474:
466:the original
455:
446:
420:
415:Crime Junkie
413:
405:
395:
389:
383:
374:
358:
350:
344:
340:
314:
309:
296:
269:
244:
240:
218:
202:
166:
145:
139:
135:
118:
117:
875:1979 births
600:Nancy Grace
534:Lohr, David
421:Going West.
386:Nancy Grace
193:Mississippi
142:Nancy Grace
123:disappeared
68:Disappeared
23:Leigh Occhi
834:Categories
438:References
410:true crime
300:kidnapping
276:Booneville
272:McDonald's
206:open house
181:California
163:Background
48:1979-08-21
412:podcasts
380:Publicity
370:Tennessee
250:from—was
248:separated
154:in 2017.
129:, during
755:Archived
604:Archived
558:July 26,
507:(2001).
426:See also
214:Virginia
169:Honolulu
158:Timeline
56:Honolulu
404:titled
402:podcast
366:Memphis
328:soybean
324:coroner
319:that a
312:Jackson
252:abusive
208:at her
185:Germany
152:podcast
100:Parents
85:Missing
457:FOX 13
362:raping
292:saliva
189:Tupelo
173:Hawaii
92:Height
81:Status
76:, U.S.
62:, U.S.
60:Hawaii
397:20/20
256:alibi
226:9-1-1
147:20/20
612:2018
560:2019
491:2018
394:and
144:and
38:Born
645:11A
595:CNN
419:and
372:.
294:.
288:DNA
284:FBI
274:in
836::
814:.
794:.
783:^
771:.
753:.
747:.
735:^
721:.
696:.
654:^
636:.
620:^
602:.
592:.
568:^
540:.
521:^
511:.
482:.
454:.
368:,
262:.
216:.
195:.
191:,
171:,
58:,
614:.
562:.
493:.
50:)
46:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
