Missing Beauty Queen:
The Disappearance of
Tammy Lynn Leppert
Part-1
October 12, 2016
I would just like to say that I have attempted to call Tammy's sister Suzanne on 2 occasions. And I have not heard back from her. I respect that she does not wish to speak with me. From what I have read there has been a lot of trolling done by assholes that think they are connected to the case. And by some who are. And then there is the Sitcoms Online Board which at times has good information on it. But like many other boards it is maligned with dumb asses. (Wiseguy182 for example) I also would like to say that I do not wish any ill will towards the family by writing this blog entry. I do not wish to intentionally disparage anyone's character in this entry either. My heart goes out to the family of Tammy Lynn Leppert. This case has long since been of interest to me. Part One will deal with the disappearance. Part 2 will deal with my opinion and analysis of the case.
Update:
I have since been in contact with Suzanne. She is battling health issues. Which is why it took longer for her to respond. I ask to please keep her in your thoughts.
Date of Birth: 2/5/1965 (To Linda Curtis, Linda passed away 10/4/95)
Missing Since: 7/6/1983
Missing From: She lived in Rockledge, FL but was allegedly dropped off in Cocoa Beach.
Height and Weight: 5'4 & anywhere from 103 lbs to 115 lbs
Hair and Eyes: Blonde & Hazel
Wearing: Blue Shirt w/Flowers, Denim Blue Skirt, Gray Purse and Flip Flops.
(Some reports state she was barefoot. Specifically Unsolved Mysteries. That as I stated before is incorrect)
Occupation: Actress, Model and Beauty Queen.
Other: Tammy was rumored to be 3 months pregnant at the time she disappeared. Suzanne stated she confirmed this. I wasn't told how. Debbie states she doesn't believe she was or Tammy would have told her. Some rumors go farther and say she was seeking an abortion the day she disappeared. Again I have not been able to verify this to be true. Tammy was suffering from emotional problems at the time she disappeared. She even stayed 72 Hours at a Mental Health Facility in Brevard County. They found nothing wrong. If we go by what is reported, There were no drugs or alcohol in her system. And at this time there is no reason to not believe this.
1052 Pompano Dr. Rockledge, FL: It was Wing Flanagan's residence at the time. Linda & Tammy were staying there. This is where Keith Roberts picked up Tammy.
Details of Disappearance
Tammy left the residence her family was staying at in Rockledge, Florida at around 11 am with a friend named Keith Roberts. (More on him later) Roberts later told authorities that he and Tammy got into an argument while driving and that he dropped her off in a parking lot outside the Glass Bank near an Exxon gasoline station. The Exxon was in the vicinity of State Rd A1A between N 2nd and N 3rd St. (In Cocoa Beach, Florida) Leppert was carrying a gray purse when she went missing. Many reports erroneously state that she was barefoot at the time. And that is incorrect. Her mom did state that she noticed Tammy had not combed her hair that day. Something that was out of the ordinary for her. She had usually spent a considerable amount of time with her appearance before going anywhere. According to her mother Linda, Tammy had plans to go to California before she disappeared to act in some movie roles. I have spoken with Tammy's other half sister Debbie about this and she remembers Tammy calling her about the trip. During the call Tammy asked Debbie if she could stay with her while she was there. (At the time Debbie was living in California.) Debbie doesn't remember much about the call other than Tammy was acting very cautious. She never got the chance to go. I have attempted to track down what acting roles Tammy was pursuing at the time. I have been unable to do so.
Tammy had appeared in a few movies such as Spring Break, Scarface, and Video Wars
With her Uncle Jim
Tammy with her mom Linda
Tammy's Family
Linda and her family (Top Right)
Tammy's Mother-Linda Lee Curtis
Early Life
Linda Lee Curtis was a born on 5/20/1941 and was a former Beauty Queen herself. She was Tammy's Agent. She was the Owner and Operator of the Galaxy Model Workshop on Merrit Island during the 80s. (I've also seen it called Galaxy Productions) In a few newspapers of the time she is said to have had a track record for turning young talent into Beauty Contest Winners. However I know of at least one other person who attended this workshop. And it was rumored that Linda was a really bad con-women. She basically just took money and did little with the development aspect. By all accounts from people I have talked to Linda was not a model person or parent. For instance no one knows who Tammy's real father was. Tammy took on the last name of Leppert. But she was adopted by a former husband of Linda, Richard Dix Leppert. Richard also had a kid with Linda. He considered Linda such a bad parent that he took their son away from Linda altogether. I was told by Tammy's half sister Debbie that Linda was verbally abusive and at times physically abusive towards her children. Debbie spoke of an instance where Linda threw a butter knife across the room at Tammy when they were fighting. I will say that Debbie also told me that Linda herself had a rough upbringing. And she thought that Linda did love all her kids. She just didn't know how to show it. This could have been an instance of her upbringing trickling down to her own kids after she had them. If you watch the Unsolved Mysteries segment she alludes to the fights her and Tammy had.
Later Life: Tammy's Disappearance & Linda's Life After
After Tammy disappeared Linda had a host of different theories as to what happened to her daughter. In the actual police report she alludes to a man named Robert Valenti as being suspicious with young girls. In the Unsolved Mysteries segment she points a finger at the person who picked her up (Keith Roberts) among others. In the newspapers she points to local elites in the government as well as Serial Killer Christopher Bernard Wilder. She was even critical of law enforcement's handling of the investigation as the years went on. At one point Linda stated she was writing a book and screenplay about her daughter's disappearance. Nothing ever coming of either. She alluded to Tammy knowing about a large scale money operation and being kidnapped and murdered as a result. Basically she was everywhere with her accusations. Linda never got answers as to what happened to Tammy. During her later years Linda developed several health issues. She was also involved in a serious car accident that caused her to become disabled. She ended up receiving a bad blood transfusion and getting an infection as a result. She was already terminally ill at the time only having weeks or months to live. She was suffering from kidney failure and a degenerative heart condition that resulted in her having several heart attacks. She ended up passing away of renal failure at the age of 54.
Linda was also the mother of Suzanne, Bonnie, Debbie and Rick
Events Leading Up To Tammy's Disappearance
Tammy Lynn Leppert in Scarface
THE POLICE REPORT
Things to Consider
Possible Routes to Glass Bank from Tammy's Residence
Additional Things To Consider
At one point law enforcement believed Tammy to be one of the victims of Christopher Wilder. Linda Curtis even filed a one million dollar lawsuit against him. But later dropped it stating she never believed he had anything to do with Tammy's disappearance. Which makes you wonder why she filed for it in the first place. Can you say money grab? Law enforcement was never able to link Wilder to Tammy's disappearance. And it should be noted that his killing spree didn't start until almost a year after she went missing. Linda went on to state she only attempted to sue Wilder to get him to answer questions about Tammy.....Yeah.
Interesting statements have been made regarding Linda's income. Basically, Tammy WAS Linda's income. They were living at Wing Flanagan's residence at the time she went missing. According to the lawsuit Linda filed against Wilder, Tammy was making more than $20,000 a year at the time she went missing. And that income partially supported her mother. “Partially”.
Former Cocoa Beach Detective Harold Lewis stated that in 1985 he received two calls from a woman who claimed Leppert was still alive
Actual Quotes, Statements from Family Members & Excerpts from Articles
"When the woman called the first time, she said that Tami Leppert was well and would contact us when the time was right," Lewis said.
"During the second call, she said that Tami was doing what she always wanted, going to school to become a nurse."Lewis said he does not suspect foul play in connection with Leppert's disappearance.
"I have a gut feeling that Tami just split," Lewis said.
Lt. David Bartman of the Cocoa Beach Police Department said his officers' task was made more difficult by the delayed report and by the fact that Leppert, who recently turned 18, is legally an adult.
"But foul play is not suspected and there is no indication Leppert was taken anywhere against her will" Bartman said.
Her sister Suzanne maintains a Facebook Page and Website in the hopes of one day finding out what happened to her sister.
According to Suzanne, Tammy was arrested for either reckless driving or driving without a license the prior year. However no fingerprints were taken. That statement was made by Suzanne on the Sitcoms Online board on 11/28/08.
According to Suzanne, A few family members felt that Linda, her mother, killed her. And buried her in the backyard at the house in Rockledge.
Suzanne believes Tammy Lynn Leppert to be deceased.
Suzanne believes Tammy came up missing at a later date than previously thought. I tend to agree.
There is DNA in Codis for comparative analysis.
Tammy (according to her sister Suzanne) was said to have 3 different Social Security Numbers.
There seems to be a theory she might have ended up in the Witness Protection Program.
While researching this case I found an interesting statement made by Linda Curtis to the Florida Times on February 25th 1985.
"My daughter has always been spoiled by society standards," Curtis said "There's nothing the child ever wished for that she didn't get."
According to Suzanne, she was informed by the police that Tammy was seen hitchhiking on or around the day she disappeared. (No other information regarding this lead has ever arisen to my knowledge)
Tammy took the last name of her step-father Richard Leppert who has also since passed away. I noticed that reading an article where he was interviewed from Dallas after Linda's passing. That's the only time I see her father (whether step or real) mentioned.
There was also a lead regarding a mechanic at the same Exxon station mentioned and pictured earlier. (No other information regarding this lead has ever arisen to my knowledge)
According to her friend Rick Adams- "to this day, the cops have never called to ask me anything. Pretty strange isn't it? I thought I'd be the logical person to question, since I was with her the night before she disappeared." (Note-he is also listed on the police report as a friend "with whom Tammy has attended church" with)
Additional Info on Glass Bank:
Now in my opinion Glass Bank has been over analyzed in regarding this case. I've read a countless amount of brain dead conspiracy theories regarding Frank Wolfe and the penthouse he had on top of bank. Also if you read the 2 page Police report, Linda states Keith told her that he dropped Tammy off 2 blocks south of Glass Bank. 2 blocks south. As I said, Many tin foil hat arm chair detectives LEAP to the Glass Bank theory because of the Unsolved Mysteries segment. Everyone remembers the guy playing Keith dropping the actress playing Tammy off in the parking lot of Glass Bank without shoes and no purse. All 3 of those are incorrect as I have already stated. Now as I said in the UnFound interview, Unsolved Mysteries deliberately misled viewers on small details so that they knew who actually knew real information when they called in the telecenter. Yet people will continue to perpetuate conspiracy theories regarding how the penthouse on top of the bank has no windows. And how it had its own private elevator going up the side of the building. All that bullshit. I do believe Frank Wolfe intentionally had no windows on the penthouse for one reason. Because the penthouse sat atop of the Glass Bank, A bank with windows on the ceiling so you could watch the rockets take off from Kennedy Space Center. He did it because he had enough money to do so. It was an ego thing. That's it. He also had a windowless bachelor pad in Cocoa Beach in the 60s. Why? Because he stated he could do more with artificial light than with natural light. He wasn't nefarious. He wasn't a pedo. I refuse to go down this rabbit hole. The entire story of Frank Wolfe is a sad one. Towards the end of his life he had no family and nothing left but his penthouse. And he eventually lost that too. The Glass Bank eventually closed. And had fallen into disrepair. Frank continued to live in his penthouse for years after. Eventually the city voted to tear down the building. Including his penthouse. The city turned off the power to his penthouse. No power. No elevator. Frank was unable to gain entry to his home. Frank lost his favorite thing in the world along with all his possessions. So he ended his life outside the old building. There is more on Frank Wolfe at the bottom of the entry.
Possible Suspects
CHRISTOPHER BERNARD WILDER
There are some interesting aspects regarding Wilder as a possible suspect
Wilder did pose as a modeling agent and would ask to take pictures of beautiful young girls. He actually favored models.
On March 18th, 1984 he lured Theresa Wait Ferguson away from Merritt Square Mall (on Merritt Island). He murdered her and dumped her body at Canaveral Groves where it was later discovered on March 23rd. Merritt Island is where Linda Curtis based her company Galaxy Productions.
He is suspected of having more victims that have not yet been identified.
One thing worth noting is Wilder's killing spree in Florida occurred almost a year after Tammy went missing. Although he is suspected of the 1981 murder of Mary Opitz from Fort Myers, Florida.
Despite Linda Curtis changing her mind on Wilder was a suspect. She made some interesting claims regarding the possibility at time.
After looking at photographs of Wilder, she said she was positive he visited her agency on several occasions in 1983. She stated a man who strongly resembled Wilder visited her modeling agency on several occasions the year Tammy went missing.
“If it's not him, it's someone who looks so much like him, he's a twin," she said.
She is also quoted as saying
"Tammy worked part time for me," she said. "he talked to her; she was his contact." (She was his contact????)
Also stated in the claim
Curtis' claim asks for compensatory damages in excess of $1 million for her mental anguish, pain and suffering, the loss of value of her daughter's estate, and funeral expenses.
(Funeral expenses? Perhaps she thought wilder would produce Tammy's body?)
Very odd she would go from suing him, To believing he had nothing to do with Tammy's disappearance. Especially after saying she was positive he visited her agency. Definitely a money grab.
Another serial killer linked to this case is John Brennan Crutchley aka The Vampire Rapist
He was at one point in Brevard County and committed a rape. That was in late November 1985. But he is believed to have killed as far back as 1977. (In Florida)
*Note: I did reach out to Adams when I started writing this entry and he said we could do an interview at some point. But I never heard back from him. I know he has battled some health problems and I wish him the best.
Update: 6/5/2019- I did reach out a second time. He did not respond. It may have something to do with an upcoming documentary regarding Tammy Lynn Leppert he is supposed to be involved in. (Or so i hear)
This is from a Florida Today article dated 3/18/1990
Because I never really wanted anything from her. "Now 27, Adams sifts through his pictures. Pointing out the times he
escorted her to both his junior and senior proms at Cocoa High School. It was one of those hard-to-catagorize teen-age
relationships-not exactly a hot romance, but not exactly little sister/big brother either. He knows only one thing for sure
"she could've dated anybody she wanted to. "they drifted apart after he graduated. Perhaps that was inevitable."TAMI Had a lot
Of pressure about her appearance in public, "Adam recalls. "because of who she was, she felt like she had this image she had
To live up to. Everything she did was, like, fine-tooth combed. Her make up had to be just right, every hair had to be in
Place, what she wore had to be perfect. It drove me crazy, to tell the truth. I got burned out on the whole thing, with with
So many people hanging around, so many people coming up to her. It was almost like having to compete for attention, and I
wasn't into that." But shortly before she disappeared, Adams says Tami began confiding in him, telling him that someone was
trying to kill her. He says the fear was real. "I knew it wasn't drugs. I can say for sure that Tami wasn't into drugs. She
didn't even drink. "Finally, on Tuesday evening July 5, 1983. Tami told Adams she had "seen something she shouldn't have
seen" she didn't get a specific. They went to pray at Rockville Evangel Temple. "Tami cried as hard as I've seen anyone cry
before" Adams says he dropped her off in front of her house around 11 that night . They made planned to go back to church
Wednesday afternoon."AND Then." Adams says "she looked at me and said. I just want you to know that I may have to go away for
a while. But I also want you to know that I love you."
Then they hugged each other, and held the embrace for as long as it took.
Rick Adams never got a chance to ask her what she meant. He called late the next morning to reconfirm their date.
She was already gone.
Wing Flanagan- aka “White Chocolate” (Haha)
Linda described Wing Flanagan as her adopted son numerous times. I didn't go much into researching him. Seemed to be a pretty bright kid back in the day though. I had an interesting non interaction with the guy tho. I sent him a message a few years ago regarding Tammy's case on Facebook. He saw my message and promptly deleted his Facebook page. Whether it had anything to do with my message is anyone's guess. He does have a YouTube Channel tho.
UPDATE: All I'm gonna say is Tim Rue is FRIED. He tried trolling me. Ended up getting mad and blocking me. Guys one of those old fashioned retards.
*There is a person who uses/used the screen name Timothy Rue (and other screen names that are similar) who insists Tammy is alive and that he even grew up with her. He also states he saw her after the time she was reported missing. He usually babbles and speaks in riddles. I have read that Suzanne has confirmed that Timothy Rue was around at the time Tammy disappeared. But has disagreed with a lot of what he says.
Interesting to note that Tim Rue (according to Suzanne) has spoken to the police regarding Tammy's case.
KEITH ROBERTS-
Keith Roberts was the last known person to see Tammy. Interestingly, LE does NOT consider him to be a suspect. Here are some quick facts about Keith Roberts.
*Roberts says he dropped Tammy off at around 1pm standing in the parking lot outside Glass Bank.
*Roberts had worked at a bank and as a car salesman in Lakeland, Florida. (At the time and the subsequent years following Tammy's disappearance.)
*According to then detective Jim Scragg- His phone conversations with Roberts were "short and non specific".
*Roberts broke two appointments to come to the station for a face to face interview. "That concerned me greatly," Scragg says, adding, "Roberts was never properly interrogated."
*According to then detective Jim Scragg- Roberts had "no criminal history, no nothing."
Police immediately ruled Roberts out as a suspect.
* This is an excerpt from a Florida Today article entitled "have you seen Tami-Lynn?"
Today, Roberts answers the telephone at a residential number on the original police report.
Roberts, a 30-year-old Melbourne car salesman, says he met Leppert in one of Curtis' acting classes around 1980. He says the Tami he remembers suffered a "drastic" and "weird" character change in the months before her disappearance. He says that she told him she was unhappy at home and that she wanted to leave.
"everything seemed to be falling in on her at the time," Roberts says, "and she was acting real paranoid. She said that her mom had put her in a hospital against her will and that (Tami) was sleeping with a knife under her pillow - stuff like that. I don't know what happened to her. All I know is that there was this explosion, and she really freaked out."
Roberts says Leppert called him in Lakeland, where he worked in a bank, and asked him to drive over and pick her up. He says she also asked him to lend her some money.
"i didn't even have to get out of the car, she was waiting for me," Roberts says. "All i know is she wanted out."
Roberts says that he gave Leppert $300 and that she wanted him to drop her off with friends in Fort Lauderdale. Roberts says he didn't have time for that, suggesting instead that he take her home.
"at that point she said,'let me out. Let me out! Stop, stop! So i just said ok, whatever you want," he says. "and that's the last i saw of her."
Roberts says that he cooperated fully with the police investigation and that he was never scheduled for an appointment at the cocoa beach police station. After initially agreeing to appear on "unsolved mysteries," Roberts backed out when he understood the proposed line of questioning.
"they were asking me questions like, 'did i think Linda had anything to do with Tami's disappearance.' " Roberts says, "so i told them i wasn't gonna go on a show and start slinging mud on her mother. I told them everything i knew on the phone and that wasn't good enough."
Nearly 3 Months After This Article She'd Be Gone
Walter Lebowitz- At the time Lebowitz was the family's attorney. And one shady bastard too.
Peter Brownlee Mills
Peter is mentioned on the police report as a "good friend of the family". Peter was an interesting fellow.
Frank M. Wolfe
Cocoa Beach, FL
Frank
M. Wolfe was born in Hartford, CT November 24, 1931. He completed
his high school education in Hartford and enlisted in the Coast
Guard serving three years in Korean Theater. He graduated from
Rollins College, Winter Park, FL on June 6, 1958, with a degree in
Bachelor of Arts, Business Administration and psychology. He then
attended Stetson University College of Law, St. Petersburg, FL and
earned his Juris Doctor degree on January 28, 1961.
Before
moving to Cocoa Beach he was Special Assistant to the Attorney
General of the State of Florida. He was a senior partner in Wolfe,
Kirschenbaum & Taylor, which later became Wolfe, Kirschenbaum,
Caruso, Mosley and Kabboord, a major law firm in Cocoa Beach, FL. He
also served as City Attorney from 1963 to 1967. During those years,
he served on the board of several banks in addition to being one of
the founders and directors of the Merritt Square Bank, Merritt
Island, FL.
From
1971 to 1981, he was CEO and Chairman of Leader International Inns,
Inc., a large real estate company that owned and operated
approximately 500 units in the Brevard County area.
He
was past Chairman of Ron Jon Surf Shop, headquartered in Cocoa
Beach, FL, a large retailer known throughout the world.
Mr.
Wolfe was renowned for his architectural designing ability. He
resided in the unique penthouse he built on top of the Glass Bank
Building in Cocoa Beach, FL and he spent summer months in Maine
where he designed and built a home on the Wells Reserve.
He
was generous to a fault and gave of himself to so many over the
years, far too numerous to count. He was a loyal friend and advocate
of the underdog. He demanded excellence of himself and his internal
code of ethics was unshakable. He was loved by many. He left an
impact on many lives and will not soon be forgotten.
Died
because he wanted to . . . Lived because he dared to.
Sign
Frank's guestbook at www.beckmanwilliamson.com.
Published in FLORIDA TODAY on Feb. 8, 2014
If you have any information regarding this case please call the Cocoa Beach Police Department or Detective Christen Mcclure who is currently in charge of the investigation at
Cocoa
Beach Police Department
20 South Orlando Avenue
Cocoa Beach, Florida 32931
407-868-3269
Or
321-868-3251
