The Unsolved Murder of Leon Laureles - Arlene's Journey

0:00 To listen to ad free episodes and premium bonus content. Visit sinspod dot com slash Apple to subscribe on the Apple podcast app on your mobile device. Hey, listeners, we want to hear from you. Head over to our fan list page and send us your questions, leave us voicemail, or subscribe to ad free and exclusive bonus content. Visit fanlist dot com slash Sins and Survivors to connect with us today. The following The episode discusses topics related to domestic violence, including detailed accounts and descriptions that some listeners might find distressing or triggering. Listener discretion is advised. Hi, and welcome to Sins and Survivors, a Las Vegas true crime podcast where we focus on cases that deal with domestic violence, missing persons, and unsolved cases. I'm your host, Sean, and with me as always, is the one and only John. I am the only John in the room. On May tenth, nineteen ninety six,

1:32 Leon Lorells was found shot to death beside his burning car on Farm Road twenty one, twenty six, just outside of Brownwood, Texas. He was scheduled to work the overnight shift at the Kroger, but he never made it to work that night. Today is in our normal episode day, but it's the twenty eighth anniversary of the unsolved murder of Leon Lorellis. His niece, Arlene Harbison has a podcast called The Box in the Basement which covered Leon's case in detail. Today we bring you her first episode in its entirety. If you have any information about what happened to Leon, please contact the Brown County Sheriff's Department at three two five six four six five five one zero, or leave a tip on Justice for Leon dot com. Also, please go check out Box in the Basement and show Arlene some love. We'll be back on Tuesday with our normal episode, and in the meantime, remember what happens here happens everywhere. Hello, and welcome to the Box in the Basement Podcast. My name is Arlene, and I'll be your host on this podcast journey. I am the niece of Leon Lorellis, who was shot execution style at age thirty on May tenth, nineteen ninety six, outside of Brownwood, Texas, and whose murder has never been solved. Leon's story is unfortunately not an uncommon one in this state, as we currently have over twenty thousand unsolved homicides in the

3:05 system, which accounts for nearly eight percent of the unsolved murders in the entire United States. Leon's murder was also very likely a hate crime, which decreases the chances of ever being solved even further. A little info about me. My five grandkids are my entire life and heart. I love kids, traveling, baking, crafting, reading, and I am a huge fan of Pink and Brandy Carlyle. I am a person that has so much empathy for others that at times it's frustrating not being able to help everyone. That's the reason on starting this podcast project. I want to bring you tention to cold cases, especially those involving potential hate crimes. I want the families and friends of the victims to be heard. I want to assist in the pursuit of closure and justice in any way i can. Leon was such a given person and I strive to be like him, and I hope I make him proud.

4:26 Leon and I were very close, not just because we were family, but mostly because we were all we had. We didn't have parents that cared if we went to school, did well, took us to the doctor, if we were sick. We were never told I love you, we're given hugs. There were no bedtime stories, no one asking how school was, no help with homework. They barely spoke to us. I remember my mother rarely acknowledging or speaking to me unless she needed me to do something or was mad at me. My father was always working, so we didn't see much of him, and we certainly never spoke about our problems in our family. My siblings and cousins were years younger than me, and Leon's siblings were a lot older, so he took care of me always. Don't get me wrong, we didn't have an awful childhood. It just wasn't that great. I have my own childhood traumas, the kind that stay with you forever and the kind you can never forget. I'm not sure if Leon had any trauma in his childhood, but I really hope he didn't, because he had a hard life from the start. What I want to share with you today is how one

5:58 phone call on a single night changed my entire life forever. On May tenth, nineteen ninety six, my phone rang in the early morning hours. I can't remember the exact time because what I heard on the phone that night was something that I could not comprehend at all. This phone call haunts me to this day. Anytime the phone rings in the middle of the night, I am instantly terrified and dritting the bad news I'm sure will follow, and I can never go back to sleep after that. I get this horrible fear that something is wrong, someone is hurt, and it is fear filled with anxiety that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. That phone call was my cousin saying Leon is dead. I thought, I misunderstood.

6:58 I must be dreaming. This cannot really be happening, because those were words I never thought i'd ever hear words that no one expects to hear. All I could get out was what Before my cousin could repeat herself, I had already dropped the phone, yelling no, no, no. I heard a horrible cry that scared me. It was me. That's the moment my entire world changed, My entire worldview changed. I lost my faith for a very long time, and I did not trust anyone. I could not make sense of how this could happen to the best person I ever had the privilege of knowing. The only person in my life that truly loves me completely, without limits or judgment, the one person that always protected me, who took care of me from day one. My biggest struggle was that, and still is twenty seven years later, is not knowing why why would anyone do this to him? I had never seen him angry, mad or yell or have an argument with anyone. He is so kind, loving, empathetic and selfless.

8:26 So why why? The answer to this question will never come, and I didn't know how to deal with that. The pain is so deep that you cannot breathe. Nothing looks or feels the same anymore. I have been sentenced to a lifetime of pain, grief, and trauma. Life keeps going on for everyone else, but not for me. I was stuck in a very dark place. I didn't know how to get out, and didn't think I'd ever be able to get out of. I couldn't function, I didn't know how to deal with the most extreme pain I had ever felt. My heart was shattered into a million pieces. I could not lessen the terrible heartache I felt every second of every day, not even for a single moment. There was no light, no love, nor happiness in my life anymore. And I didn't think there ever would be again. I remember being at the Sheriff's office. I don't remember how I got there, how I knew where to go, how I got dressed, or what it did with my kids.

9:48 I only remember standing outside while it was still dark, with my aunts, my mom, my uncle George, and my cousin. None of us could speak. What do you say in that situation? A situation I couldn't fully understand at that point was unfolding. I was in shock. I was praying the entire time, hoping that they were wrong and Leon was still alive. All we knew was that Leon was shot. The wait was so long that not knowing any more details was excruciating. I have never been so terrified, frustrated, or angry in my entire life. Only my uncle George was allowed to go inside the Sheriff's office to speak to the Texas Ranger, Bobby Grubbs, who had taken on the case right from the start. I was never questioned, spoken to, or even looked at by law enforcement. But that is another story for another time. I didn't exist. I was invisible.

11:05 I was devastated, scared, and I felt so alone. Daylight was just breaking when I heard someone say Leon's death was already in the newspaper. I don't remember who said it, but I heard that person say the newspaper printed that Leon was killed execution style. I instantly got angry. I got in my car. My aunt, Sally, and my mom went with me to the Brownwood Bulletin. I walked in and told the receptionist I'm Leon's family and we didn't know any of this information. How dare you print that without talking to anyone. I was yelling, crying, and I saw everyone looking at me strangely. Then my aunt took my arm to get me out of there.

12:00 I went out and found a newspaper box outside the doors. I frantically searched for change. I don't remember if someone gave me change or if I found some in my purse, but I opened the door and grabbed several copies of the newspaper and sat in the passenger seat of my car to read it. I heard my mom and aunt saying I didn't pay for all of the copies I took, and I needed to pay for them. I don't care, I yelled. I was so angry, hurt, confused, and devastated. That I couldn't even read the words in front of me. I just stared at the photo on the front page. I couldn't make sense of anything at that point, But I remember this happening as if it happened yesterday.

12:50 At times, it does feel like it just happened, and I am on this endless loop, reliving this nightmare every every day for the rest of my life. I remember crying and feeling the pain that there are no words to describe, a heartache that will never go away, a pain that never heals. The mind is a remarkable thing. My mind was trying to protect me. The pain was just too much, and because of that, there is so much I cannot remember. I don't remember the funeral, who was there, what I did during that time. I've seen pictures of myself and my sons at the funeral, and I have no recollection of how we got there.

13:46 But what I do remember is being at the funeral home when it was time to spend time with Leon before his burial. I was there with my uncle George, Uncle Frank, Aunt Sally, Aunt Lily, and my mom. We were round his coffin. George told us that the funeral director and ranger Grubbs told him we should not view Leon's face because it was swollen from aunt's where his head landed in an ant bed. My mom said to me, don't look at him. You don't want to remember him like this.

14:28 I put my hands on his chest and cried. I remember his hand being so cold. I still was having a hard time comprehending what was happening. I wanted to see him one last time, but I also didn't want to remember him any different than the sweet face I had always seen. The only other thing I remember about that day is holding on to his casket at the graveside. I didn't want to leave him alone. I felt so much guilt for not being there for him. I could feel his fear of being hurt and alone, and my heart and mine just couldn't take it. I just kept saying, I can't leave him, in between sobs, over and over and over. Everyone had walked away. I was just it was just me, holding on tightly and not wanting to leave him. My mom walked up with my dad, and she told my dad to get me. He put his hands on my arms, trying to pull me away, but I just couldn't leave. I felt so much guilt that he was alone when this was happening, and I couldn't bear to let him feel alone again. My dad had to pry my hands off the casket again. That pain was too much

16:02 for me, and I don't remember what I did after that. I don't remember anyone around or what happened the rest of the day or the next day. The next few weeks were a complete blur because I was lost. I felt dead inside. It took everything in me just to get up, get dressed, go to work, and feed my kids. It was incredibly hard to do everyday basic things. Every single day before work, after work at night, I would lock myself in my bathroom and cry as quietly as I could so my kids could not hear me. I didn't think the heartache would ever leave me, and I was right, it hasn't. I didn't eat, didn't sleep, I didn't do anything more than what was required of me.

17:04 For a long time. Life was going on around me, and I hated it because I felt that it was so wrong for anyone to live on as if everything was normal when it wasn't in my world. Other things I remember in the weeks after a female news reporter came to my home to interview George. My aunt Sally and my mom were there also. I remember where everyone sat. I remember being frustrated that I wasn't asked anything at all. I remember George was being so shy and timid, and not nearly as angry as I thought he should be. I was hurt, and I wanted everyone to know that. I wanted everyone to know how special Lyon was to us.

18:00 The world needed to know on fair and unjust it was that the murderers could just be walking around, free to live their lives, but Leon wasn't. The reporter never asked the rest of us a single thing, nor did she speak to us directly. It confuses me to this day to understand how a journalist could come into my home and not be interested in anything I had to say or any information that I may have had. HI. It's Sean and John from Sins and Survivors. We think it's so important to bring you new podcast episodes centered on the victims of domestic violence, but we need your help. Head over to sinspod dot com, Slash, Patreon and join one of our membership teers, starting at only three dollars a month with a discount.

18:57 If you purchase a full year, you get access to our behind the scenes Swing Shift episodes where we talk about the episode right after we record it and tell you more about our theories on the case, going beyond what you just listened to. And you'll also get ad free versions of all episodes and will even send you members only shwag. You get all this and you can feel good about yourself that you're helping defray the cost of producing the show every week. So head over to sinspod dot com, slash Patreon today. I remember a day George came to my house to discuss hiring API. He told me that the Texas Ranger I mentioned earlier, Grubbs, was not doing much of an investigation and Leon didn't seem to be a priority at all. I didn't learn until years later why he felt this way. He didn't go into detail, but now I understand what the problem was with Grubs. It was the good old boys Network, the Texas Rangers of days gone by, the dark history of corruption and crudeness still present in day to day operations. George found a private investigator named William Dear from Dallas, Texas, who came highly recommended. It would cost us four thousand dollars. We would split it.

20:30 My mom and Aunt Lily didn't have money, so I paid their part, which was nearly my entire savings. I never met mister Dear and he wasn't in town very long at all. Next thing I know, George told me William Dear was threatened, so he left town without getting any real answers. The only thing George said to me is the law enforcement was corrupt and William Dear feared for his life. That was all I knew of that situation. I now have more details, but at the time, what George told me was all the information I had. Here's where I'd like to apologize to William Dear. For twenty seven years, I have thought that he never provided any information from his short investigation. Well, I was wrong. He did, and I will discuss some of the findings in his brief investigation in a future episode. My family and I put our trust in law enforcement in the system, put our faith in God that he would not let the person or persons that were responsible for doing this to Leon to keep walking free. We prayed and prayed and prayed alone, together, always praying George and I would read

22:02 the Bible every Sunday, prayed some more. No answers came, no prayers were answered. Being brought up in a very small conservative town and Catholic, we didn't feel we could confront or question law enforcement. I was so naive and shy. I had no clue what to do or ask. This is something no one prepares you for. And how can you make logical decisions when your heart is broken into a million pieces and your brain is barely functioning. I just went through the days as best I could. The one year anniversary of his death came, and law enforcement had made exactly zero progress on Lyon's case. I felt just as devastated as I did the day it happened, but the lack of progress and communication made me feel more alone than ever.

23:06 I held a vigil at the site on the first anniversary of his death. I had a preacher say some prayers, we lit our candles, cried, shared memories with each other, but honestly, I don't remember much else because I couldn't stop crying. I couldn't hold it together. I did yearly vigils for a while, but eventually I quit. Since very few family members attended. I could always count on my cousin Selina to be there at every memorial. Though years passed and nothing seemed to be happening in the investigation. It just felt too frustrating and it gutted me. Every year I would ask the newspaper to do articles about the anniversary to see if someone would come forward, but no one ever did, and the newspapers eventually stopped being interested in the story since there were no leads or even any theories being shared with the public.

24:08 It got harder and harder to live, and Brownwood and I rarely left the house. The pain just consumed me. It was endless. Eventually I moved away, and I tried to move on, to start over, rebuild something, anything, to get away from the dark cloud that hung over me constantly, the pain. I am here to tell you that time does not heal all wounds, because the pain never goes away. Time nor distance heals the heart of this type of pain. But when you move away, it's no longer constantly staring you in the face, so you can go about life a little more. Each day. There will be times when you're actually having fun, celebrating living life, and then the guilt hits you out of nowhere.

25:10 I can't be having fun because Leon is not here to have fun with me or enjoy his life. So how dare I be enjoying anything to this day? That guilt creeps in when you least expect it. It could be a song Leon light, the celebrity he admired, a gesture someone makes like he did, his sweet smile, the enjoyment that filled him when he was cooking or listening to music and spending time with his family. Holidays are never the same. Mother's Day no longer has the same meaning. In two thousand and nine, I moved back to the area to be close to my first granddaughter. The thought of leone being forgot and not a single ounce of progress in the last twelve years. May the devastation all come back in full force.

26:10 I was constantly thinking about Leon, what happened and why no answers have come. So I started doing yearly vigials again. I did foyer request, reached out to the sheriff, the DA, the judge, requesting the autopsy report again and again. I of course didn't get any common courtesy answers or even a partial report. Instead, I received disrespect, lies, or no answers at all. After a few more years of that treatment, I knew I needed to try a different approach. I took to writing to podcasters and asking for help and bringing awareness to Leon's case. Surprisingly, they were all so very kind, compassionate, and helped me in so many ways. I will always be eternally grateful to all of them. I was also able to obtain a grant to have a billboard go up in Brownwood for a whole year.

27:19 I participated in two news articles, had Leon's case featured in an Uncovered project, Cold Case, and Season of Justice. I finally started to feel like Leon was starting to receive some attention. I still have a long way to go, but I am not stopping, even though it's incredibly hard so much of the time. If there is anything positive that came from this situation, it's that I've changed as a person. My empathy for others is so great that my heart aches so much for those going through tough things, down on their luck, the unhoused, the hungry, the sick. I want to help them all. They all pull at my heartstrings. I take on other's pain and put it right next to the pain I have in my heart of losing Leon, I am now filled with determination to make sure no one forgets Leon, the beautiful soul with a huge presence, Not to forget that he matters. He deserves justice just as much as any one else. He may not fit the criteria of the typical, high profile victim, but he deserves justice just the same. I will be Leon's voice. I will fight

28:52 for justice for Leon until my end. I will tell his story for as long as I am able to. I will not let him be forgotten. I will share his love and kindness to as many as I can. I am also determined to make sure no one forgets about all the other countless victims, known and unknown to us, who have been victims of crimes, and their stories buried forgotten and lost to time in the stack of other unsolved cases. Their lives had meaning, They loved or were loved by someone, and they mattered. As we remember those who have passed, let us also remember the lessons they taught us. They have taught us that life is precious and fragile, and that we must embrace those moments. In times of darkness.

29:52 It is easy to lose hope. It is even in these moments that we must come together as a community to support one another, to lift each other up, and to shine a light on the darkness. Those of you who are still fighting, we stand with you. You are not alone. We will fight alongside you, and we will never give up hope. We will continue to support you, to uplift you, and to be a source of strength for you. Please help me fight for justice for Leon. If you know anything, please speak up. For those that have spoken to law enforcement with what they've seen and heard, Thank you for speaking up. What we need now is anyone with evidence to please come forward. Leon's family, friends, and members of Brown County deserve answers. This podcast has a bigger purpose than just providing information and entertainment. The Homicide Victims Family's Rights Act is a bipartisan bill that was signed into law by Congress in twenty twenty one, and we want to see it put into action. This law establishes a systematic process for reviewing case files related to cold case murders. The focus is on providing a mechanism for the families and friends of murder victims to request a formal review

31:26 of such cases. We need an attorney or teams of attorneys and legal professionals to take on the bold and brave fight against the system around the country. In our case, we need someone to fight for Lyon, to help not only put fresh eyes on the case, but to get his body exhumed to search for evidence that was not collected the first time around. We and other families and friends need assistance with getting Foyer requests. It blows our minds that so many murders occurred from nineteen seventy six to nineteen ninety seven in Brownwood, Texas under the watch of the same investigators responsible for handling Lyon's case. We're going to look at all the unsolved murders in Brownwood and maybe even a few solved ones if it helps uncover what was happening in that era that left so many families devastated in a community living in fear. If you want to hear more about victim focused unsolved cases and get updates about what we know, please subscribe, like and share our podcast. Also visit our website, Justice for Lyon dot Com to donate to our cause to hire an attorney. Plus, you can submit a tip anonymously. You can also join our email list to stay current on developments on Lyon's case and other cases we cover as they happen.

33:00 Thank you so much for listening. Please be kind later, gators.

33:42 Thanks for listening. Visit sinspod dot com, slash subscribe for exclusive bonus content and to listen ad free. Remember to like and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and threads at Sins and Survivors. If you're enjoying the podcast, please leave us a review on your podcast platform of choice. You can contact us at Questions at sins and Survivors dot com. If you are someone you know as affected by domestic violence or needs support, please reach out to local resources or the National Domestic Violence Hotline. A list of resources is available on our website, Sins and Survivors dot com. Sins and Survivors, a Las Vegas true crime podcast, is research, written and produced by your hosts Sean and John. The information shared in this podcast is accurate at the time of recording. If you have questions, concerns, or corrections, please email us. Links to source material for this episode can be found on our website Sinsensurvivors dot com. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the podcast creators, hosts, and their guests. All individuals are innocent until proven guilty. This content does not constitute legal advice. Listeners are encouraged to consult with legal professionals for guidance.