MO MO - Jody Lee Ledkins, 14, Kansas City, 23 May 1985

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TheArtfulDetective said:
According to this article (and Charley Project): In 1993, Stratton started receiving threatening phone calls at home, which lasted for two years. The callers would often demand money in exchange for Ledkins.

Stratton recorded the calls and sent them to the police. Investigators traced the calls back to a pay phone in the Kansas City area, but no one was ever identified as the caller.

In this transcript, the caller said, "If we don't get the money, your daughter will be sent to you in pieces."

This seems odd. Why would anyone kidnap a girl for ransom whose "home life in 1985 was dysfunctional", living in not the best neighborhood in the city, from a single mom who probably doesn't have money for ransom? It's not like she was the daughter of someone locally prestigious. Unless maybe she owed money for drugs or something?

Was the ransom amount ever mentioned?
Was it established who this "Lori" was that was mentioned by the caller? The mom seemed to know "Lori" so assuming it was a relative or friend.
Could Lori have been in on it and that's why the caller wanted to talk to her?
Did the mother ever try to offer the caller some money for the ransom?
Why did the caller stop calling after two years if the money was so important? Either they knew she was dead already or it was a sick hoax from opportunists that knew of Jody's disappearance from media. And obviously they never sent any "pieces" of Jody to the mother either. It would be safe to say if they were serious, they could have sent a finger or something as proof.
Perhaps the calls were even a guise to throw everyone off track.

Also, I'm not a handwriting analyst by any means, but I don't think the handwriting in the letters match. For example, in the letter to the probation officer received years after the disappearance, the capital "I" is written like a "J", dissimilar from the more cursive "I" in the letter to the mother. Investigators should have at least acquired handwriting samples from all those involved / "persons of interest" and see if anyone wrote the "I" like a "J". Perhaps they did and didn't reveal their findings?
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Jody and Lori are both my older sisters. Lori is older than Jody. I never met Jody. I still talk to Lori and my mom to this day. My name is Jami. I grew up watching my mom save all her money to trying to find Jody every single day and still she looks for her every single day. I wasn't even born until 1989 but I wish who ever knew what happened to her or if she's reading this then i really wish she would give her mom, our mom, a phone call or visit her. It breaks my heart to watch my mom not know what happened to her daughter, my sister,. My mom raised us all the best she could and taught us right... We might be a lil onry but she's an amazing strong woman who loved us kiddos. We might not have had a lot of money growing up but our mom n our dad are the best. They love us n there's no way she could've taken off like that and never say anything to our mom again. I want to meet my sister and I want my mom to see her again. We love you Jody.... I'll always continue to help mom and whoever bring u home where you are loved and belong.
 
  • #26
bykerladi said:
Sounds an awful lot like everyone except her mom turned their backs on this poor girl.
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I'm Jody's younger sister, Jami. I wasn't even born until 4 years later. So I never met Jody. And I'll never turn my back on Jody. My mom's the bravest strongest woman I've ever met and I'll always continue to help my mom and whoever else who wants to help us bring my sister back home. We love you Jody.
 
  • #27
FindJodyLedkins said:
Jody and Lori are both my older sisters. Lori is older than Jody. I never met Jody. I still talk to Lori and my mom to this day. My name is Jami. I grew up watching my mom save all her money to trying to find Jody every single day and still she looks for her every single day. I wasn't even born until 1989 but I wish who ever knew what happened to her or if she's reading this then i really wish she would give her mom, our mom, a phone call or visit her. It breaks my heart to watch my mom not know what happened to her daughter, my sister,. My mom raised us all the best she could and taught us right... We might be a lil onry but she's an amazing strong woman who loved us kiddos. We might not have had a lot of money growing up but our mom n our dad are the best. They love us n there's no way she could've taken off like that and never say anything to our mom again. I want to meet my sister and I want my mom to see her again. We love you Jody.... I'll always continue to help mom and whoever bring u home where you are loved and belong.
Click to expand...

Thank you for sharing your story, Jami, especially when it must be so difficult for you and your family. The input and thoughts from friends and family of the missing are much appreciated here, and we are here to support you. Also, thank you for clarifying who Lori was. Any theories as to why the caller mentioned your sister? It does seem to further indicate that someone in the circle of people Jody ran around with knows something, adding that personal touch of mentioning Lori.

Jody's story is dear to my heart not only because I was living in KC at the time and was around her age, but also how scary it was that she was basically just a kid when she vanished. I know the Northeast and I have walked the last streets she walked many occasions, both virtually and in person, just wondering where she could possibly be.

I mentioned this previously but just to reiterate to you personally since you are Jody's sister, I have made a few comments about her disappearance, and I am not under ANY circumstances suggesting she had a crappy home life or owed money or had to do with anything shady. Everything I have put out there is pure speculation because that's all we have at this juncture. It is appreciated that people like you share your personal experience to clarify things which helps fill in some of the missing pieces. What I do believe, is that a beautiful, young, innocent if not naive girl, unfortunately got caught up with the wrong person or people.
 
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  • #28
FindJodyLedkins said:
I'm Jody's younger sister, Jami. I wasn't even born until 4 years later. So I never met Jody. And I'll never turn my back on Jody. My mom's the bravest strongest woman I've ever met and I'll always continue to help my mom and whoever else who wants to help us bring my sister back home. We love you Jody.
Click to expand...


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Glad you are here, while so sorry about the situation.

Best to you & your family, Laughing
 
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Anniversary of disappearance today.

jl.jpg
 
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Anniversary of disappearance today.

jl.jpg
 
  • #33
Jody is Always in my mind while searching news archives, considering possible matches, etc - I have been looking for her for many years and am prayerful her family and those who miss her receive the answers they long for, need, and deserve.
 
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