"So, it looked like this crash happened without a person in the car, which seems impossible. Because again, this car was accelerating uphill. So giant mystery." — Britt
"What I would love is for this DNA that they found to be submitted to like those genealogical sites, the way that Parabond has been doing. So if we find out that the DNA in our clothing can be linked back to a certain family or a certain specific person and start asking questions about why their DNA is on the clothing in her car, we might be able to work backwards." — Ashley
"So the next thing you would expect to see is like damage to the steering wheel or damage to the windshield, like from somebody's head. Yeah, right. But neither one of those have the kind of damage you would expect to see. And most glaring of all of this horrible accident, there's no blood anywhere." — Britt
The episode begins by introducing the case of Leah Roberts, a 20-year-old North Carolina State student whose life was marked by significant personal tragedies, including the deaths of her mother and father. These experiences, coupled with a near-fatal car accident, led Leah to re-evaluate her life's purpose, seeking something more meaningful than the conventional path. Her interest in authors like Jack Kerouac reflected a desire for exploration and self-discovery. In March 2000, Leah seemingly disappeared without a trace. Initially, her absence was not alarming to her roommate or sister, as she was known to be independent. However, when she missed scheduled plans, her sister, Kara, filed a missing person report. A cryptic note and a sum of money left behind suggested a voluntary departure, but the unsettling imagery of a Cheshire cat on the note hinted at a more complex situation.
Leah's car was later found abandoned in a ravine in Washington state. The scene was peculiar: personal items were scattered, but there were no signs of a struggle, no blood, and the vehicle appeared to have been accelerating uphill with no one inside. This unusual circumstance baffled investigators. Subsequent investigation of the car revealed a movie ticket from the day she was last seen in Oregon and a receipt for gas. A witness at a restaurant identified Leah as having dined alone at the bar, and another witness claimed she left with a man named Barry. However, this lead was met with skepticism by the police, who believed the witness might be fabricating parts of his account.
Further investigation years later uncovered evidence that the car's starter relay had been tampered with, suggesting mechanical foul play. Male DNA was also found on Leah's clothing. While the initial suspect, "Guy number two" from the restaurant, had a background as a mechanic and left the country shortly after the investigation, his DNA did not match the found evidence, leaving many questions unanswered. The episode highlights the ongoing search for Leah, the lingering mysteries surrounding her disappearance, and the hope that advancements in forensic technology, such as DNA analysis and genealogical databases, may eventually provide closure to this enduring case.