Murder of John Leonard

On September 8, 1970, 52-year-old John Leanard was working in his taxi. A call for a pick-up at the Buck Hill Inn in Barrett Township, Pennsylvania. Around 2:30 p.m. he would then park near the entrance and wait in his car. A man would be seen near his vehicle. 

When Donald Mick, the owner of the taxi service, could not get in contact with John it worried him. It was unlike John to not responding. He would then go to where his last pickup was and found the taxi still there. Unfortunately inside was the body of John, someone had shot him 4 times in the head. The motive for the murder is unknown as he was not robbed and still had his wallet.  

In 1973 his widow Madeline told her teenage children she was going to check on a lead to their father's murder. She did not return home as she had died in a car crash into the woods along Route 940 in Paradise Township. The crash was ruled an accident. 

The man seen near the vehicle was a white male between 25 to 35-years-old. He had a tanned complexion. It is believed he was around 5'10" and 190lbs with a medium build.  He was wearing horn-rimmed glasses and a bright blue sport coat. He seemed to have been carrying a heavy paper bag in his left hand. 

SOURCES:

Monroe County District Attorney

The Pocono Record September 10, 1970

BRCTV May 12, 2022

WNEP May 19, 2022