Leroy Drieth case - Page 2 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

JenniferS. · 08-05-2011, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tiddlywinks950

didn't they say he was stabbed before he crashed into the tree?

yes but that wasn't known till years later when Leroy's family had him exhumed and autopseid.

Blackout · 03-31-2013, 02:22 AM

makes you feel there's no justice in the world

5thBeatle · 03-24-2015, 09:51 PM

The actor playing Patty looked white to me, that's why I always thought she was white. UM never went into detail about that. Still confused

soilentgreen · 03-25-2015, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5thBeatle

The actor playing Patty looked white to me, that's why I always thought she was white. UM never went into detail about that. Still confused

The original segment mentioned that Leroy had started dating a hispanic girl named Patty, and a former wife of one of Patty's relatives alleged that there had been a racial argument between Leroy and some of the relatives. Hispanics are caucasian, although in the U.S. they sometimes are viewed as a different race and not just as a different ethnicity for whatever reason.

It's sad that the case hasn't developed further since the exhumation. I got the feeling that both the former sister in-law and possibly even Patty knew who followed Leroy out to his car. I'm curious if the coroner's report mentioned the name of the witness who claimed that Leroy said he was going to kill himself; that person was likely either a witness to or responsible for Leroy's stabbing.

5thBeatle · 03-25-2015, 08:09 AM

Okay thanks for clearing that up for me. Didn't see the original one in years, just recently the Dennis Farina one on lifetime last week. I got a feeling also that witness blurted that out to make it a suicide case for the emt's.

soilentgreen · 03-25-2015, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5thBeatle

Okay thanks for clearing that up for me. Didn't see the original one in years, just recently the Dennis Farina one on lifetime last week. I got a feeling also that witness blurted that out to make it a suicide case for the emt's.

No problem. There are some UM cases where a family is desperate to believe that their loved one didn't commit suicide, despite evidence that points to it. This case was messed up from the get-go because the coroner believed that there wasn't a need for an autopsy based in part on the statement the guy made at the scene.

Judyhymesisalive · 04-08-2016, 03:51 PM

I have seen this one quite a few times. I do not believe for one second that it's a suicide. The family friend said everyone was drinking heavily that day. Alcohol always causes problems and from what it looks like Patty's family had this issue with him for a while...

Huskerz85 · 08-29-2017, 08:22 AM

Just watched this for the first time today. I don't believe for a second it was suicide either. One of his girlfriend's relatives knifed Leroy at a party, he jumped into his car and drove off. Then, either because of the wounds or because he was being chased, he crashed his car and died.

Sloppy policework though always infuriates me......

1990 UM fan · 08-31-2017, 10:36 AM

Definitely shoddy police work. I wonder why Patty's family hated Leroy, other than he was Caucasian? Did he and Patty argue often? Was it verbal or physical? Her family doesn't seem like the kind that would be "tight" with the police department and coroners, so I don't see why they are covering Leroy's murder up. The coroner's report, from the 1993 exhumation, said Leroy died from injuries from the crash and not the knife wounds to his neck. I wonder how long he would have had to live after the knife wounds had he not crashed? I feel Patty does know who attacked Leroy, but obviously never divulged anything for fear of retaliation from her family or blaming the wrong person/people.

dynoguy88 · 04-14-2019, 05:09 PM

I watched this one recently and am very intrigued.

I definitely think one of Patty's relatives stabbed Leroy at the BBQ. And it's ironic and sad that all they had to do was wait for the ambulance to arrive and make sure to tell him that he "said" he was planning on killing himself...and it was as simple as that. Case closed. Patty knew the truth the whole time but covered it up to protect her family.

If the issue was because of race (the family not wanting Patty to date Leroy because he was white) it's interesting that the former in-law who lived with them at the time was white herself. I wonder if there were other factors involved in the argument.

What gets lost in this is the fact that Leroy was only 18 years old. Barely an adult. The actor who played him looked a little too old. It's also interesting that Leroy's sister was able to track down so many of the neighbors who had such vivid memories of a BBQ that had taken place 20+ years earlier.

justins5256 · 06-03-2019, 11:53 PM

Just saw this one for the first time in awhile. I wonder if he had an argument at the party, drove off in a huff and hit a tree on accident. The wounds on his neck could have been caused by impact with some part of the car.

As far as the family not cooperating, it could be that either

A. They didn’t like the guy or don’t care
B. They were afraid of somehow being implicated in his death

Also, would be curious to know if they checked for alcohol in his system?

unsolved88 · 06-05-2019, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dynoguy88

It's also interesting that Leroy's sister was able to track down so many of the neighbors who had such vivid memories of a BBQ that had taken place 20+ years earlier.

That always stood out to me as well. The fact that all these people remembered this particular BBQ so many years later kind of bolsters the idea that there was some type of huge scene at the party.

As far as the racial argument and Patty’s ex-sister in law also being white, I wonder if she experienced that same problem as Leroy and ended up divorcing over it, hence why she’s an ex.

I always kind of wondered if Leroy got Patty pregnant and the show avoided telling us that. I know people back then got married much earlier than they do now, but I know of more than a few people of Leroy and Patty’s generation who got married at about 17 only for the new bride to give birth a few months later. Having kids out of wedlock was huge social no-no in 1968. Perhaps that’s what the crux of this argument was that day.

dynoguy88 · 06-05-2019, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unsolved88

I always kind of wondered if Leroy got Patty pregnant and the show avoided telling us that. I know people back then got married much earlier than they do now, but I know of more than a few people of Leroy and Patty’s generation who got married at about 17 only for the new bride to give birth a few months later. Having kids out of wedlock was huge social no-no in 1968. Perhaps that’s what the crux of this argument was that day.

If she got pregnant and didn't have a miscarriage or an abortion, wouldn't news eventually reach Leroy's family that the girl he was seeing just had a baby? They would bound to put 2 and 2 together.

That still leaves Patty pregnant and unwed in the very judgmental 1960's.

unsolved88 · 06-05-2019, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dynoguy88

If she got pregnant and didn't have a miscarriage or an abortion, wouldn't news eventually reach Leroy's family that the girl he was seeing just had a baby? They would bound to put 2 and 2 together.

That still leaves Patty pregnant and unwed in the very judgmental 1960's.

True. I hadn’t thought of that.

I just always got the feeling there was more to the argument that day than just Leroy being white. And unless Patty opens up, we’ll probably never know all the details.

Latka Gravas · 02-04-2021, 11:39 PM

LD obviously didn't commit suicide; there is no way someone gets neck wounds like that from crashing into a tree - ridiculous. Very sloppy investigative work when he died back in 1968.

It's sad that it took LD's sister to open up the case back up (in the late '80's) before the suicide angle was questioned. I wonder if Patty's family members were questioned by the authorities?! The UM segment had a re-enactment showing the sister meeting & speaking with Patty - who didn't say much.

03-31-2013, 02:22 AM	#17
Blackout Sart Bimpson Senior Member Join Date: Jan 13, 2003 Location: where the sun rises Posts: 2,235	makes you feel there's no justice in the world
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04-08-2016, 03:51 PM	#22
Judyhymesisalive Wadada Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 31, 2016 Location: Germany Posts: 388	I have seen this one quite a few times. I do not believe for one second that it's a suicide. The family friend said everyone was drinking heavily that day. Alcohol always causes problems and from what it looks like Patty's family had this issue with him for a while...
	__________________ If you're from Africa why are you white?

08-31-2017, 10:36 AM	#24
1990 UM fan Unsolved Mysteries fanatic Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2011 Location: United States Posts: 2,509	Definitely shoddy police work. I wonder why Patty's family hated Leroy, other than he was Caucasian? Did he and Patty argue often? Was it verbal or physical? Her family doesn't seem like the kind that would be "tight" with the police department and coroners, so I don't see why they are covering Leroy's murder up. The coroner's report, from the 1993 exhumation, said Leroy died from injuries from the crash and not the knife wounds to his neck. I wonder how long he would have had to live after the knife wounds had he not crashed? I feel Patty does know who attacked Leroy, but obviously never divulged anything for fear of retaliation from her family or blaming the wrong person/people.
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03-24-2015, 09:51 PM	#18
5thBeatle Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Nov 10, 2014 Location: Columbia, South Carolina Posts: 64	The actor playing Patty looked white to me, that's why I always thought she was white. UM never went into detail about that. Still confused

03-25-2015, 08:09 AM	#20
5thBeatle Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Nov 10, 2014 Location: Columbia, South Carolina Posts: 64	Okay thanks for clearing that up for me. Didn't see the original one in years, just recently the Dennis Farina one on lifetime last week. I got a feeling also that witness blurted that out to make it a suicide case for the emt's.

08-29-2017, 08:22 AM	#23
Huskerz85 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 31, 2006 Location: Westeros Posts: 740	Just watched this for the first time today. I don't believe for a second it was suicide either. One of his girlfriend's relatives knifed Leroy at a party, he jumped into his car and drove off. Then, either because of the wounds or because he was being chased, he crashed his car and died. Sloppy policework though always infuriates me......

04-14-2019, 05:09 PM	#25
dynoguy88 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 01, 2000 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 3,672	I watched this one recently and am very intrigued. I definitely think one of Patty's relatives stabbed Leroy at the BBQ. And it's ironic and sad that all they had to do was wait for the ambulance to arrive and make sure to tell him that he "said" he was planning on killing himself...and it was as simple as that. Case closed. Patty knew the truth the whole time but covered it up to protect her family. If the issue was because of race (the family not wanting Patty to date Leroy because he was white) it's interesting that the former in-law who lived with them at the time was white herself. I wonder if there were other factors involved in the argument. What gets lost in this is the fact that Leroy was only 18 years old. Barely an adult. The actor who played him looked a little too old. It's also interesting that Leroy's sister was able to track down so many of the neighbors who had such vivid memories of a BBQ that had taken place 20+ years earlier.

06-03-2019, 11:53 PM	#26
justins5256 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2002 Posts: 3,866	Just saw this one for the first time in awhile. I wonder if he had an argument at the party, drove off in a huff and hit a tree on accident. The wounds on his neck could have been caused by impact with some part of the car. As far as the family not cooperating, it could be that either A. They didn’t like the guy or don’t care B. They were afraid of somehow being implicated in his death Also, would be curious to know if they checked for alcohol in his system?

02-04-2021, 11:39 PM	#30
Latka Gravas Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 27, 2019 Location: United States Posts: 395	LD obviously didn't commit suicide; there is no way someone gets neck wounds like that from crashing into a tree - ridiculous. Very sloppy investigative work when he died back in 1968. It's sad that it took LD's sister to open up the case back up (in the late '80's) before the suicide angle was questioned. I wonder if Patty's family members were questioned by the authorities?! The UM segment had a re-enactment showing the sister meeting & speaking with Patty - who didn't say much.