Photo: Delaware State News / Craig Anderson
Authorities say he may have been targeted.
By Samantha Maffucci — Written on Apr 29, 2019
Investigators say that the first 48 hours of a crime are essential in collecting tips and information leading to an arrest. And though some families get the closure they deserve, there are others who spend years, sometimes even decades, looking for answers.
And in the case of the unsolved Delaware murder of Jimmy Leager, the details surrounding his death are still a mystery.
Who is Jimmy Leager? On April 27th, 2016, Leager was found unconscious in a truck outside a grain farm. He had sustained injuries from blunt force trauma to his head and upper body. Leager was 63 years old when he later passed away from his injuries almost three weeks later, on May 16th.
It’s been three years since Leager was murdered, and investigators are still no closer to solving the case. According to the Delaware State Police, they have been unable to piece together a timeline because they don’t know of Leager’s whereabouts after dinner the night before.
Said Detective Daniel Grassi, “We know where he was up until about 8:30 the night before. The time period between 8:30 and when he was found the next morning, his activities are unknown.”
Investigators also aren’t sure who Leager was with or how he ended up by the grain farm, though he occasionally worked there. Grassi also indicated that they would not release information about the weapon used: “...While I don’t want to disclose every fact that we have, in the investigation, his injuries included, I can say that he suffered severe blunt force trauma to his head which resulted in his death approximately three weeks after the injuries were reported to us.”
In addition to coming up with a timeline, Grassi said police were having difficulty finding a motive, as Leager was considered an upstanding citizen, friend, and family member.
Photo: Delaware State News / Craig Anderson
Grassi said, “I couldn’t find a single person out there that I interviewed that had anything bad to say about him and that’s what makes this so difficult. Because there is no clear motive as to why this happened to him.”
With so much mystery and unanswered questions surrounding Leager’s death, his family is still having trouble coming to terms with his untimely passing. His brother, Jeff, said, “It’s almost three years. But it doesn’t change that it’s been hard. The question of why is still one of the hardest things the family is dealing with... He got along with everybody and for this to happen is just unbelievable.”
One year after Leager’s passing, police held a news conference in conjunction with Leager’s family, asking for the public’s help in solving his murder.
Photo: Delaware State News / Craig Anderson
Brother Jeff pleaded for answers, saying, “Our family lost a son, a brother, a father and a grandfather. A year has passed, and our family has endured sleepless nights and the pain of not knowing what happened to Jimmy. We plead: Anyone who has any information at all, please contact Crime Stoppers and help bring some resolution to our family.” Unfortunately, it seems the pleas for help have gone unanswered, with police believing the attack wasn’t random and that he may have been targeted.
Could someone have targeted Leager? Friends and family describe Leager as a funny guy who was well-known and loved in their community. We can only hope that investigators finally bring closure to his family.
Samantha Maffucci is an editor for YourTango who focuses on writing trending news and entertainment pieces. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules.