Steven Ray Leasure, 53, was last seen in Burlington, Iowa on May 2, 2015. Family members last saw him at a residence on Gnahn Street, and other reports indicate he was seen later that day at a Circle K convenience store on Maple Street, where he was putting air in the tires of his blue GT bicycle. When he could not be located, his family reported him missing, and an investigation into his disappearance was launched by the Burlington Police Department.
Leasure was described as being mostly bald with dark blond hair, blue eyes, and having a "scruffy" beard at the time he went missing. He had several distinguishing features, including a scar on his face between his eyes that extended over his left eye, a surgical scar on the side of his head, and a tattoo of a catfish on his forearm.
More than a month after he was last seen, a significant development occurred on June 9, 2015, when his blue GT bicycle was found near Lake West in northwest Burlington. The discovery of the bicycle prompted extensive searches of the lake and the surrounding areas by law enforcement, but these initial efforts did not locate him. The case remained active as family and investigators continued to seek answers regarding his whereabouts. His family expressed their continued hope for closure and the ability to give him a proper burial.
A major breakthrough in the case came a year later. On June 8, 2016, a badly decomposed human foot was discovered by individuals who were clearing brush near the Lake West spillway. The remains were sent to the FBI Crime Lab in Quantico, Virginia, for DNA analysis. In June 2017, authorities from the Burlington Police Department announced that the DNA evidence confirmed the foot belonged to Steven Leasure.
Following the identification of his remains, law enforcement conducted further searches of the area around Lake West. Despite this confirmation, the rest of Leasure's remains have not been recovered. The Burlington Police Department continues to treat his disappearance as an ongoing criminal investigation and a suspected homicide. The case remains open as authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death.Last Seen: May 2, 2015
