The Mysterious Disappearance of Leigh Marine Occhi – Part II

July 28, 2009

Part 2 of a four-part series - click here to read part 1

Yesterday, I introduced you to the case of Leigh Marine Occhi, a 13-year-old girl from Tupelo, Miss., who mysteriously disappeared on Aug. 27, 1992. When Leigh first went missing, authorities launched a large-scale search that covered a lot of ground throughout the Tupelo area. Joining them in that search was Leigh's father, Donald Occhi. The story continues here today with Donald's memories of his daughter and the lengths to which he has gone to try to find her.

Donald Occhi and Vickie Felton met while serving in the Army together in California. According to Donald, the couple courted for about a year before marrying in 1977. Not long thereafter, they transferred to a military base in Honolulu, Hawaii. Roughly two years later, on Aug. 21, 1979, Donald and Vickie welcomed the birth of their first and only child, Leigh Marine Occhi.

"Her birth was difficult because Vickie was in labor for about 18 hours," Donald Occhi said. "Leigh was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen. I felt so much love that I did not know I was capable of feeling. When I first held her, I cried like a baby. I had been responsible for the lives of many soldiers, but this tiny baby was mine to care for until one of us died. There was no comparison for this increased degree of responsibility. She smelled so sweet; her skin was so soft. To me, each of her movements was a marvel. This tiny baby was actually mine, and that would never change."

While Leigh was still just a toddler, Donald was dispatched on a mission to rescue two soldiers who had gone missing in a Hawaii jungle. Donald was injured during the rescue; however, the incident led to one of his most treasured memories of his daughter.

"I had fallen off a cliff and landed in a stream," he said. "I seriously injured my eye and had to climb back up the muddy cliff to get to the medics. When I got home later in the afternoon, Vickie was getting Leigh up from her nap and dressed to take me to the emergency room. As I waited, Leigh came down the hallway with all of the confidence of any baby who just discovered that she can walk. She saw the bright white bandage on my muddy face - made a sort of gasping sound - and with an odd look on her face she came across the room making little noises. She looked at my good eye and very gently touched my bandage, then planted her first kiss on my nose."

Unfortunately, Donald and Vickie's relationship soured, and they divorced in April 1981. Not long thereafter, Donald was transferred to a military installation in Germany. Nevertheless, he continued to keep in contact with his daughter, and when Leigh was about 7 or 8, she stayed with her father for several months. During this time, the two spent countless hours together bonding as they participated in a variety of activities.

"The summer she came to Germany for a month or so I enjoyed taking her to the castles, teaching her to speak German, and taking long bike rides," Donald said. "I taught her a phrase, and a German man behind us almost fell over laughing hysterically. She said, 'What did I say?' I answered, 'You want to buy a lovely blouse made out of a cat?' She was both embarrassed and delighted. That was a beautiful time. We also had fun shooting. She was a good shot. She was not afraid to shoot my most powerful handguns. Another of our favorite things to do was to go out after a heavy rain and drive the muddy trails in my 4WD at a high rate of speed. The first time we hit a huge puddle and the mud got all over her, she had a shocked look on her precious face. It was unforgettable. We laughed like fools."

When the trip to Germany came to an end, Donald said he and Leigh were unable to spend as much time together as he would have liked. He was transferred several times to a variety of bases; however, he said he made sure to secure a brief leave to visit his daughter during the summer of 1991. Unfortunately, Donald was unable to remain in the states long, and he was soon called to duty in Iraq for Operation Desert Storm. Donald served one tour of duty in Iraq and was back in the United States for less than 6 months before he received word that his daughter was missing.

"It felt like someone punched me in the stomach," he said. "All day I did not know what I did at work. Initially I thought that she may have run away, so I did not go to Mississippi right away. For days I walked around in a daze and kept thinking about getting my .45 pistol and going to Tupelo and killing someone, but I did not know who to kill. I still don't."

After two weeks of waiting and wondering, Donald traveled to Tupelo to assist in the search effort for his daughter.

"I have gone to Tupelo on four occasions, the first time for a month; the other times I went for three or four days," Donald said. "Each time, I searched remote areas and followed leads that people would give me. Mostly, the time spent was dawn to dusk. The first and second time, some wonderful people from Tupelo accompanied me. On the other occasions, I went with psychics from the United States and Japan. Once, I went with Craig Rivera from the TV show Inside Edition, though they never aired the episode. Also, I was invited on the Geraldo Rivera show set for airing in February 1993, though I don't know if it aired, as I was at work at the time."

Unless you have been in a similar situation, it is difficult to grasp the emotions that come with the disappearance of a child. Next month will mark the 17th anniversary of Leigh's disappearance. She never got a chance to learn to drive, graduate high school, or to attend her prom. The lost time together has weighed on her family, and the emotional rollercoaster ride they have been on is one that no one should have to endure. According to Donald, anger, regret and sadness are all par for the course.

Even though Leigh's body has not been found, there is some evidence that suggests her fate. The clues stoke her father's rage.

Anger

"I wish that the murdering son of a [redacted] who killed her had killed me instead or tried," Donald said. "This coward must have really felt like a tough man or woman to beat a little girl to death. Often, I cannot help but think of how horrified Leigh must have been while this piece of garbage beat her to death and watched her bleed out in the hall."

Regret

"I wish that I had told her how much she meant to me and how much I loved her," he said. "I was not a very affectionate person then and did not care much for hugging and such, though she sure enjoyed it. I should have been more accessible for that because it was not about me, it was about her. It was for her, and now it's too late… I will regret this until the day I die. I don't avoid that anymore with the kids I have today. Though I can get mad at them when they misbehave, I try to demonstrate how much I love them and how much I value them."

Sadness

"I was supposed to care for her for her whole life. Next month she would have turned thirty," Donald said. "Maybe she would have had her own kids and lived near me. Maybe I could have helped her with problems and let her know that I was here for her. Maybe I could have comforted her in hard times.

"I still have a book [in which] I would write little tidbits of advice, things that I had read and felt they were important that she could learn from. It would have also shown her that I was always thinking of her. I wanted to give it to her at 16 or 21. Now it sits gathering dust in a curio cabinet. I can't bring myself to throw it away."

Donald said that the most difficult days have always been Leigh's birthday and the anniversary of her disappearance.

"I used to get drunk, but there was no future in that, so I bought a living memorial for her and placed it near my parent's grave in a local cemetery," Donald said. "I visit it several times a year. The first one I had made I had 'Leigh Occhi, Aug. 21, 1979-Aug. 26, 1992, MURDERED' put on it. I guess the superintendent saw it one day, and we had a big fight over the phone and then person to person. He felt that people would be offended by the word 'murdered,' so I told him that I was really offended by it. Eventually, we compromised, and I took the plaque and built a small memorial to Leigh in my back yard."

Despite the anguish and sorrow that comes with the loss of a child, Donald remains hopeful that he will someday know what happened to his daughter.

"I want to live to see her body located so that I can see that she is properly buried," Donald said. "Then I will smile when the [redacted] who did this dies in the Mississippi state death chamber."

For now, Donald has to take solace in the memories of his little girl who he says is never far from his mind.

"Leigh was a beautiful little girl with unlimited potential," he said. "All I have is the memories. God, I miss her."

To be continued…

Click here to read Part 3 of this in-depth four-part series on the mysterious disappearance of Leigh Marine Occhi

Check back tomorrow to read Part 3 of this in-depth, four-part series on the mysterious disappearance of Leigh Marine Occhi. Find out about the mysterious package her mother received in the mail and hear from a top investigator with the Tupelo Police Department who has been involved since the start of the case.

Photo Credits: Clippings: Daily Journal; Leigh Occhi: Contributed; Police car: Carla Lohr

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission from Discovery Communications. All quotes must include a link back.

Comments

[j.stephen.h]

I feel for the man, sincerely..no one should have to suffer such a thing...whether victim or those they leave behind. The victims (however unfortunate) die once...those left behind die a little more each day,..especially when they are left to the Devices of their own Wondering. I anticipate the other two parts to this Mr. Lohr, and admire your cut- to- the- heart minimalist way of phrasing things, and the EMotions you put into your work.

[jle]

Are you kidding me. Your story sounds like you actually knew your child. Those of us who know the real story know differently!!! Why would Donald say she bleed out in the hallway????

[j.s.h.]

JLE...those of you who know the "real story" as you say apparently dont know enough to resolve it. Something tells me that you either have a Personal Relationship with those suspected, or act as an apologist sympathizer for those who do...Either way your deductions and opinions are Ruled by EMotion more than Logical insight, and that is damning to Investigation.

[Joe Mullins]

Although Donald is a pretty pi--y guy sometimes.. Hell the man doesn't like me.. but I believe him.. because he's just not the liar type.. he says what's on his mind and the truth.. I was his stepson during all of this..