Crime Solvers Central
Crime Solvers Central
298 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Case Description

Any updates on this case? Let us know!
Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP10149) and 9 other sources
In the quiet town of Katonah, New York, on February 5, 1977, 29-year-old Leslie Anne Guthrie, a female with brown hair and brown eyes, disappeared along with her two young children. That afternoon, at approximately 1:30 p.m., Leslie picked up 6-year-old Julie and 3-year-old Timothy from the home of their father, Timothy Sr. The trio was last seen driving away in a white 1974 Ford Maverick with a green roof, bearing the New York license plate number 636-WNA. At the time of her disappearance, Leslie was separated from her husband but maintained an amicable relationship with him. She had been residing with her mother in White Plains, New York. When Leslie and the children did not return, Timothy Sr. initially assumed they had stayed the night with her mother and reported them missing the following day, on February 6, 1977.

The initial investigation into the Guthrie family's disappearance found no evidence to suggest Leslie had planned to leave. She had not taken any personal belongings or a significant amount of money from her bank account. Timothy Sr. fully cooperated with the authorities and was ruled out as a suspect. He also went to great lengths to find his family, including hiring a private investigator. The children's father described Leslie as having been depressed in the time leading up to her disappearance and making statements that didn't make sense to him. It was also noted that she had been reading books on the occult. A note from Leslie to her mother was later discovered in a jewelry box, in which she apologized for her actions.

Decades have passed, but the case of Leslie Guthrie and her children remains unsolved, becoming one of New York's most enduring mysteries. Numerous theories have been considered over the years, including the possibility that Leslie started a new life with her children or that they met with a tragic accident. The theory of a car accident has gained some traction, with speculation that their vehicle may have veered off the road in the snowy conditions and become submerged in one of the many nearby bodies of water. In recent years, search efforts have been renewed, with organizations utilizing sonar equipment to scan local reservoirs and ponds, though these searches have not yet yielded any results. Law enforcement and organizations like the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children continue to investigate, releasing age-progressed images of Leslie, Julie, and Timothy in the hope that someone may come forward with information. The disappearance of the Guthrie family is a haunting case, marked by the absence of Leslie, her two young children, and the vehicle they were last seen in, leaving a void in the lives of their loved ones who still await answers.

Last Seen: Feb 5, 1977