Our lives were shattered on May 10, 1996, when we learned of Leon’s senseless murder. The pain of losing Leon will never leave us. We are asking the Texas Rangers Cold Case Unit to apply more investigative resources to solve this 27-year-old case. Our family needs this resolved.

On May 10, 1996, Leon was abducted from the parking lot of his job at Krogers in Bronwood, TX. Leon's lifeless body was soon discovered at a local gun range with a bullet in his head next to his beloved 1988 Ford Thunderbird, which was set ablaze. No arrests have been made in his case and past private investigators hired by the family claim to have been threatened and run out of town.

The Investigation and Other Concerning Facts:

• There has been a lack of communication with our family on the status of his case. Leon’s killers are still out there, and the community is not safe.
• Leon’s case was quickly called a drug-related killing despite no evidence that Leon ever used or bought illegal drugs.
• Leon was killed at a gun range owned by the local undertaker, which caused the Brown County Sheriff's office to recuse themselves from Leon’s case. Still, the Sheriff has possession of Leon’s case. 
• Several witnesses would call 911, stating they saw a red and white 1970s Ford 1-ton truck near the site around the time of Leon’s murder. This truck matching this description was seen at another crime scene, the May 16, 1989 murder of Amanda Goodman in Bronwood, TX
• Leon was gay, and in the weeks and days leading up to his murder, he reported to friends and family that a pair of local brothers with ties to law enforcement had been harassing and threatening him for reasons unknown to Leon.
• Only one page of his autopsy report exists. The complete report was lost and never digitized.

For decards, we have fought for Leon’s case to receive the attention it deserves from investigators at the Texas Rangers; however, we know more can and should be done to investigate and close this case. Today, we launch this petition to demand a renewed and intensified effort concerning Leon’s unresolved cold case.

Our Demands:

1. For the lead investigative agency-The Texas Rangers undertake a renewed investigative effort and full case review to uncover other investigative leads and to provide a status update to the family
2. For the Dallas, Texas FBI field office to urgently conduct a fresh case review of Leon’s case, including whether this crime could meet the criteria of a hate crime, giving FBI Dallas jurisdiction to investigate. This would mean the Homicide Victims Family Rights Act of 2021 could apply to Leon’s case. 
3. A new autopsy be conducted, requiring exhumation. We have received a partial autopsy report after months of requests made to Brown County Judge Doug Hurt. We were told the original autopsy report was destroyed and had not been digitally saved. What was sent to us was one page of the report, which was incomplete and unsigned by the Medical Examiner or the Deputy who accompanied Leon’s body. We do not  trust this partial, incomplete report and would like a new autopsy to be done.
4. For Brown County Sherriff Vance Hill, to find Leon’s "Missing" Case File. The Sheriff's Department originally recused themselves from the investigation, citing a conflict of interest since Leon’s body was discovered at a rifle range owned by the Brown County undertaker. So, why is the case file in the sheriff's possession, not the lead investigating agency- the Texas Rangers?
5. For the Texas Rangers Cold Case Unit to list Leon’s case on the Texas Ranger Cold Case Website.  Several requests have been sent to the TX rangers, asking for Leon’s cold case to be listed on their cold case website. Twenty-seven years later, it is still not listed.

We implore you to sign this petition to amplify our plea for increased attention and resources to resolve Leon’s case.  

To learn more about Leon’s case:
You can learn more about Leon’s case by listening to the podcast “Box in the Basement” hosted by his Niece, Arlene, and help Leon’s family raise funds for a private investigator here.

This petition was put together upon request of the family of Juan Leon Laureless by Cold Case Advocacy, who is working with the Laureless family.