In June 2014, 19-year-old Lea Chali Porter, a resident of Pueblo, Colorado, vanished while visiting a high school acquaintance in Westminster. She was last seen on June 3, 2014, after traveling to see Christopher Adam Waide. When Lea failed to return home and all communication ceased, her family grew deeply concerned. Her car was discovered abandoned at Waide's apartment complex, but her personal belongings were gone.
There was no activity on her credit cards, cell phone, or social media accounts after that day. The unsettling silence prompted her family to take action, leading to a confrontation that would unravel the tragic truth behind her disappearance.
Driven by a desperate need for answers, Lea's brother and boyfriend confronted Waide on June 12th. During this encounter, they recorded him confessing to her murder. This crucial piece of evidence was immediately turned over to the Westminster Police Department, leading to Waide's arrest. In his statement to the police, Waide claimed that he and Lea had engaged in consensual sex before an argument escalated. He alleged that she attacked him with a knife and that he killed her in self-defense. He then admitted to placing her body in a duffel bag and disposing of it in a dumpster, along with her purse, wallet, and clothing in various other locations. Authorities, however, believe the motive was that Lea resisted his sexual advances. This confession initiated a grim search for Lea's remains and the beginning of a painful legal process for her loved ones.
The investigation led authorities to the Allied Waste Services Tower Road Landfill in Commerce City, where they conducted an extensive 45-day search for Lea's body. Despite the exhaustive effort, her remains were not found. Investigators were, however, able to recover her cell phone and some of her clothing. In September 2015, Christopher Waide pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. The plea agreement resulted in a 48-year prison sentence, the maximum for the charge. As part of the agreement, other charges, including sexual assault, were dropped. The judge at the sentencing expressed his disbelief of Waide's version of events and noted how his actions had deprived Lea's family of the closure of saying a final goodbye. To this day, Lea Porter's body has not been recovered, leaving her family with a profound and unending sense of loss.Last Seen: Jun 3, 2014
