photo by: Mike Yoder

Supporters of Alberta Leach hold a “Help Find Randy” rally Thursday, April 28 at the Statehouse in Topeka asking Gov. Laura Kelly to meet with Alberta to discuss the establishment of a cold case task force in an investigation of her son Randy Leach, who has been missing since 1988.

Alberta Leach, the mother of a teenager who has been missing for 34 years, is hopeful that a rally at the Statehouse in Topeka on Thursday helped draw attention to her son’s case.

On Thursday, Alberta and a couple dozen other supporters held a rally at the state Capitol before requesting a meeting with Gov. Laura Kelly. Alberta would like to to meet with Kelly to discuss the establishment of a cold case task force to complete an investigation into the disappearance of her only child, Randy Leach.

Alberta said that Leavenworth County Commissioner Mike Stieben, family members and others who have been supportive of the family’s efforts to find out what happened to Randy gave speeches as part of the rally. She said the governor was in a meeting, but she spoke to someone in Kelly’s office and requested a meeting.

“We left a message for her to give us some time in the future,” Alberta said.

photo by: Mike Yoder

Alberta Leach, right, Linwood, and a group of supporters hold a “Help Find Randy” rally Thursday, April 28 at the Statehouse in Topeka. Alberta is asking Gov. Laura Kelly to meet with her to discuss the establishment of a cold case task force in an investigation of her son Randy Leach, who has been missing since 1988.

She said she was also able to speak with Kansas Sen. Jeff Pittman, D-Leavenworth, who told the group he would also see about getting Alberta a meeting with the governor.

“We met a lot of people, and it was really pretty nice that everybody showed up,” Alberta said.

Randy was last seen in the early morning hours of April 16, 1988, at a party in Leavenworth County only about 5 miles from his family’s home in the small town of Linwood. Alberta, her late husband Harold, and family friends have undertaken various efforts over the years to find out what happened to Randy, but neither Randy nor the car he was driving that night have ever been located.