A fisherman finds the body of a nude teen female who had been shot and stabbed In the late hours of August 20, 1971, 17-year-old JoHanna Leatherbury, a white female and recent graduate of Olympus High School, said goodbye to her family and went to meet friends. She was last seen at a popular teen hangout spot in Salt Lake City known as “The Complex,” located near 2100 South and State Street. Witnesses reported seeing her in a car with at least two males and an unknown number of other individuals. This would be the last time she was seen alive.
Concern grew when she didn't return to her Holladay home, which was out of character for the thoughtful and kind teenager who worked at a University of Utah dormitory.
The following day, August 21, her family's fears were realized. Her white Chrysler was found abandoned a couple of blocks from "The Complex" on Westminster Avenue. Later that day, two fishermen made a grim discovery in a canal near the Great Salt Lake, about half a mile west of the then-abandoned Great Saltair entertainment complex. They found the nude body of JoHanna Leatherbury. An investigation determined she had been sexually assaulted, brutally stabbed, and shot. Her purse and wallet were later found on the roof of a nearby motel.
The Salt Lake County Sheriff's Department launched an extensive investigation into her murder. Early leads included the questioning of two juveniles who were found with her purse and wallet, but they were ultimately cleared of any involvement in the homicide. A night watchman from a local company reported seeing a brown International Harvester Scout in the area where her body was found around the suspected time her remains were dumped. The driver of this vehicle was located and also ruled out as a suspect. Despite these initial efforts and combing the marshy area with the help of National Guard helicopters, the case went cold, and no arrests were ever made.
Over the decades, JoHanna's case has remained unsolved, a source of enduring pain for her family. They have expressed frustration with the investigation, stating they were denied access to police records. In a renewed push for answers, her body was exhumed in 2017 to collect potential DNA evidence for modern forensic analysis. The family has continued to advocate for justice, joining forces with the Utah Cold Case Coalition to help bridge the gap with law enforcement. Despite the passage of more than fifty years, her killer has never been identified, and the case continues to haunt the community and her surviving loved ones, who still hope for a resolution.
