MI MI - Kelly Jean Harris, 13, Jackson, 10 Aug 1984

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  • #1
[h=1]Kelly Jean Harris[/h]
  • kelly_jean_harris_1.jpg
  • kelly_jean_harris_2.jpg
  • kelly_jean_harris_3.jpg
  • kelly_jean_harris_6.jpg
Kelly, circa 1984; Age-progression at age 42 (circa 2013); Leonard Hugall, circa 2010



  • Missing Since 08/10/1984
  • Missing From Jackson, Michigan
  • Classification Endangered Missing
  • Date of Birth 04/29/1971 (46)
  • Age 13 years old
  • Height and Weight 5'5, 100 pounds
  • Clothing/Jewelry Description A pink, orange and gray shirt and black striped shorts.
  • Distinguishing Characteristics Biracial (African-American/Caucasian) female. Black hair, brown eyes. Kelly has a gap between her upper front teeth. She occasionally wears eyeglasses.


[h=3]Details of Disappearance[/h] Kelly was last seen riding her red three-speed bicycle near her family's home in the 100 block of Lincoln Court in Jackson, Michigan on the morning of August 10, 1984. She was reported missing by her family when she failed to return home later in the evening. Her bicycle was located later that same day at the entrance to Ella Sharp Park, some distance from Kelly's home.

Her family learned that Kelly had purchased a bus ticket to Detroit, Michigan and was observed boarding a bus to that location at the local station. She has never been heard from again.

On the day of her disappearance, Kelly was upset because she had not been able to attend the county fair. Initially her case was classified as a runaway, but foul play is now suspected in her disappearance.

Kelly lived with her father in Pasadena, Maryland until 1984, when she moved to Michigan to spend the summer with her mother. She planned to move in with a great-aunt in California afterwards.

Leonard Victor Hugall, who was Kelly's stepfather in 1984, was the prime suspect in her case from the time police first began investigating the child's disappearance as a crime. He and Kelly's mother divorced in 1994. He has a history of violent behavior and child molestation dating back to before he met Kelly.

Hugall, who describes himself as "evil," was convicted of burglary, theft and sexual battery in Florida in 1993. Kelly's mother stated her daughter's relationship with Hugall was "strained" in 1984 and that she believed he had murdered the the child.

Hugall initially told investigators he thought Kelly had run away from home. For over twenty years he refused to cooperate with authorities in her case or to take a polygraph test. In 2006, however, Hugall confessed to Kelly's rape and murder. Investigators found blood evidence to back up his statement.

Hugall will not be charged in connection with her presumed death until his scheduled release from prison in approximately 2033, by which time he will be over 90 years old. A photo of Hugall is posted with this case summary.

Authorities stated they would attempt to locate Kelly's remains, based on information provided by Hugall. He says he buried her in a shallow grave. Investigators said it is unlikely that anything can be recovered after so long a time, however. Unless Kelly was buried deeply, her body would probably have been disinterred and destroyed by animals.

Some agencies may list August 14, 1984 as the date of Kelly's disappearance. It remains classified as a non-family abduction.


http://charleyproject.org/case/kelly-jean-harris

https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/2569/
 
  • #2
  • #3
Her killer is still in jail, hopefully he remains there. Sad it was never revealed where her body was located.

HUGALL LEONARD V Inmate 908933: Florida Prisons (DOC)

It would appear that in 2007 Hugall said that he would lead investigators to her body. But for some reason, that never happened.

------------------------------------
Killer agrees to lead police to body
By MABEL PEREZ / Ocala Star-Banner
Oct 9, 2007

LOWELL - A man serving 50 years in prison for a 1993 Alachua County rape and burglary has agreed to go to Michigan to help police locate the body of his 13-year-old stepdaughter, Kelly Harris, who has been missing since 1984.

Leonard Hugall, 56, is an inmate at Marion Correctional Institution in Lowell. In 2006, he confessed to the rape and murder of Kelly. It was not clear Monday what led to the confession. Lead investigators in Michigan were not available for comment.

Kelly was last seen at her home in Jackson County, Mich., on Aug. 10, 1984. When her mother returned from work, Kelly was gone. Her bicycle was found a few miles from her home, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

On Oct. 1, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist signed an executive agreement with Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm to have Hugall transported to Michigan State Police custody for three days.

A court hearing Monday in front of Marion County 5th Circuit Judge David B. Eddy moved the case forward.

Hugall agreed to be transported to Michigan to help state police locate Kelly’s body. He will then return to Florida to complete his sentence. His scheduled release date is Sept. 3, 2035.

If Hugall lives long enough to be released in Florida, he will be taken to Michigan to be tried for the murder of Kelly, according to a release from Michigan prosecutor Henry C. Zavislak.

Undersheriff Thomas Finco, with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, said they are aware of the area in which Hugall said Kelly was buried, but have not been able to locate the body.

The area is heavily wooded and is a “frequent area for parkers to park,” Finco said.

Jackson County is located 78 miles west of Detroit and 35 miles south of Lansing, Mich.

In April 1993, Hugall raped a 40-year-old woman and her 5-year-old daughter at gunpoint in the woman’s Micanopy home. According to reports, the woman knew Hugall because he worked with her boyfriend.

On the night of the rape, Hugall went to the home and asked to use the bathroom. He came out of the bathroom with gun in hand and used duct-tape to restrain the mother and daughter. He raped the woman four times and then forced her child to perform sex acts on him and her mother.

Hugall fled in a stolen car and was picked up by authorities in Arizona.

In December 1993, he pleaded guilty to burglary, four counts of sexual battery, two counts of attempted sexual battery on a child under 12 and two counts of grand theft and was sentenced to 50 years in prison.

HUGALL-908933.jpg

HUGALL LEONARD V
Leonard Hugall is in prison for rape and burglary in Alachua County.


LINK:
Killer agrees to lead police to body
 
  • #4
  • #5
Kelly is still missing




March 27, 2022

<<Hugall confessed to authorities that he told Kelly he would take her to that county fair, but that wasn’t the case.

He would instead kidnap the 13-year-old and take her to his place of employment, St. John School, where he said he sexually assaulted her. He then claimed to have placed her in the trunk of his vehicle, drove out near Jackson Community College, and then stabbed her to death. Hugall claimed he buried her, but when police took him to the location to find Kelly’s remains, investigators were unsuccessful in finding the young girl.

It has been reported that blood evidence later confirmed Hugall’s story, but it is unclear what exactly was found and tested. Hugall is currently incarcerated in Florida and is scheduled for release between 2033 and 2035>>

<<Kelly’s dental records and DNA are on file, but the Doe Network reported that it was unknown if her DNA was secured.>>



 
  • #6
  • #7
August 25 2025
''Hugall has now been charged with Homicide: First Degree Felony Murder; and Homicide: Second Degree Murder, according to an Aug. 14 press release from Jackson County Prosecutor, Kelsey Guernsey, and Jackson County Sheriff, Gary Schuette.

The suspect/defendant was located in Florida, where he has been since he was released from prison in September, 2024 and will be extradited back to Jackson County to face criminal charges, which carry a mandatory penalty of life without parole in MDOC facilities. He will be arraigned in the 12th District Court upon return to the jurisdiction.''
1756165718894.webp

Photo courtesy of Charlie Project
Kelly Harris Disappeared on Aug. 10, 1984.
Leonard-Hugall.jpg
Photo courtesy of Florida Department of Corrections
Leonard Hugall has been charged with murder of Kelly Harris.
 

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