EMPORIA, Va. -- The family of Jamier Leonard, of Emporia, still struggles to find answers in the four-year-old cold case of their loved one's disappearance and death.
Leonard's parents said July and August are their worst months and that some days are hard to get out of bed.
"We wake up looking for answers, waiting for answers, and still nothing," his mother Brenda said.
It was July 23, 2019, when Jamier Leonard started suffering from a mental health crisis, according to his mom and dad.
After days of going back in forth to the hospital for treatment, his mother said she thought her son would get the help he needed.
Then she found out a magistrate denied his temporary detention order.
"He just wanted to tell us he was sorry. He hugged me and hugged his dad. He went and got his nieces and nephews and hugged them," Brenda said about one of the last times she saw her son. "An hour or so later he was in panic mode, telling us to close the blinds and that people were out there, people were out there looking for him. I said, 'what people?' and he said, 'those people with the K2.'"
Leonard, who was last seen at a friend's apartment, disappeared on July 25, 2019.
On July 31, 2019, Leonard's body was found entangled in debris in the Meherrin River about 100 yards from the Interstate 95 bridge in Emporia, Virginia.
His belongings were found nine months later close to the scene.
He was 21 years old.
An autopsy revealed mostly all of Jamier Leonard's vital organs had been removed due to animal predation.
Emporia Police Chief Ricky Pinksaw said they need new information to keep the case open.
"The most bizarre part about this case is probably the animal predation and Jamier being in the river for we don't even know how many days. We are talking about a case that we don't even know if it's a criminal or death investigation," he said. "The part for me is closure for the family. We really want to provide closure for the family, but we are at the point this case is inactive and it's falling into a cold case status."
Since theoriginal airing of Jamier Leonard's case on Reopen the Case, the story has gone viral on social media platforms.
His mother and father hope the exposure leads detectives to answers.
If you have information that can help out, call 833-RTCFNVA or email information to tips@repenthecase.org.
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