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MURDER - Lea Sue Kimble | Solve the Case
Lea Kimble was apparently abducted after getting off the school bus near her home in Bothell, Washington on September 7th 1983. She failed to return home and despite an extensive investigation, no trace of the child was found. In March 1986, Lea’s skeletal remains were recovered from along the...
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Status:
Open
Date of Offense:
Wednesday, Sep 07, 1983
Jurisdiction:
King County Sheriff’s Office
Offense Location:
Bothell, Washington
Summary:
Lea Kimble was apparently abducted after getting off the school bus near her home in Bothell, Washington on September 7th 1983. She failed to return home and despite an extensive investigation, no trace of the child was found. In March 1986, Lea’s skeletal remains were recovered from along the Yakima River near Ellensburg, Washington. Her cause of death was not determined but police believe she was killed sometime after being abducted. Her murder remains unsolved.
Vital Statistics
Height:
4'0"
Weight:
50 lbs
Sex:
Female
Race:
White
Hair Color:
Brown
Eye Color:
Brown
Age at Offense:
7 Years
Additional Physical Description:
Lea has a scar on the back of her head. She has hearing tubes in both ears and has a learning disability
Circumstances of Offense:
Lea was last seen stepping off the school bus near her home on 81st Avenue NE in Bothell, Washington on the afternoon of September 7th 1983. Kimble then would’ve walked a half mile back to her house and was supposed to be there by 4:00 pm. When an hour had passed and Lea still hadn’t returned home by 5:00 pm her mother, Susan Kimble went out looking for her. She called the police at 5:30 to report her missing and an extensive search effort followed. Both police and various volunteers searched for the child but were unable to find any trace of her. Lea was said to he a very social and friendly child who would talk to anyone. Her family had previously told her to stop talking to strangers but she enjoyed doing so anyways. Police suspect that she was likely abducted by a stranger on the afternoon of her disappearance. On March 7th 1986, the skeletal remains of a child were unearthed from a shallow grave along the Yakima River in a wooded area about 20 miles south of Ellensburg. The remains were soon identified as belonging to Lea Kimble. Her cause of death could not be determined but the medical examiner determined her death was caused by “violence of an undetermined nature” and her case is considered a homicide. A suspect was identified by police but hasn’t been publicly named. To date, Kimble’s murder remains a mystery.
Additional Details:
In early 1986, Susan Kimble filed a civil suit against the Northshore School District. She accused the district of contributing to the disappearance of her daughter in the $5 million suit. She stated the school was negligent because the bus driver had dropped Lea off over a mile away from her house. Susan also named the bus driver who dropped Lea off that day and the bus company as defendants in the case. The school district claimed that Kimble had sent them a handwritten note asking for her daughter to be dropped off at the specific spot she was last seen in. However, school officials and staff were unable to produce the alleged letter.
