Patricia 'Patti' Ann Leblanc was a 15-year-old girl with brown hair and blue eyes who was last seen in Seattle, Washington, on August 12, 1983. At the time of her disappearance, she was in the custody of the Department of Social and Health Services and living in a youth shelter. Just four days prior, on August 8, 1983, Patricia had been arrested and charged with prostitution. On the day she went missing, she was on a group outing with the DSHS at the Seattle Center when she ran away.
Patricia was known to be a chronic runaway, but her former foster mother noted that she would always make contact. After she disappeared in August 1983, she was never heard from again. She was last seen wearing a pink sweater and blue jeans. A distinctive physical characteristic noted in her case file is that she had a double set of bottom teeth.
Initially, Patricia's disappearance was reported to the Seattle Police as a runaway case. However, in 1985, due to her background involving prostitution, the Green River Task Force assumed control of the investigation. This shift in oversight occurred amidst growing fears of a serial killer targeting vulnerable young women in the area. Over the years, investigators began to suspect that Patricia may have fallen victim to Gary Ridgway, the notorious Green River Killer. Many of Ridgway's confirmed victims were runaways or involved in sex work, fitting a similar profile to Patricia. Her name was officially added to the list of possible victims in 1993.
Despite the strong suspicions, a definitive link between Patricia's disappearance and Gary Ridgway has never been established. When questioned about her case in 2003, Ridgway stated that he could not recall Patricia. He ultimately confessed to numerous murders but did not admit to any involvement in her case. Without a confession or the discovery of her remains, her case has remained unsolved. The investigation into her disappearance is classified as a non-family abduction where foul play is suspected. The circumstances surrounding her case paint a somber picture of a troubled young life cut short, leaving her family and investigators without answers for decades.Last Seen: Aug 12, 1983
