Long Island Man Begs for Missing Wife's Return

A 29-year-old schoolteacher has been missing since yesterday morning: Newsday reports that Leah Hirschel Walsh's "disabled car" was found "at daybreak Monday," on the side of the Seaford- Oyster Bay Expressway. Her purse was on the road.

Walsh had been on her way to work in Glen Cove, teaching autistic children. When she didn't arrive at the school, the school called her family, who then called the police. Her husband William Walsh said to reporters, as he gave them copies of her picture outside his in-laws' house, "Please get the picture out. We just want her back. You can have my cars. You can have everything. I just want my wife back."

Newsday adds that William Walsh, who apparently received a text from his wife early in the morning but didn't know where she was, is cooperating with the police. The Daily News spoke to a friend of Leah Walsh; Lucas Bean, who lives in L.A., said, "She was telling me that things are not going to work out with her and her husband and she had to tell me something very important, but she needed to wait til she got out of the car with him... She was in the car with him texting to me so that was Sunday night and they were in a huge fight."

Police are asking people with any information to call 800-244-TIPS.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on October 28, 2008 5:48 PM

Comments [rss]

r1b2

Husband. Almost always, always is. He's a fool if he thought he could get away with this.

mrmagoo

husband.

nycnewsjunkie

Newsday:

10:38 AM EDT, October 29, 2008

An unidentified body was found Wednesday morning in western Nassau, prompting police to cordon off a wide area near the north service road of the Long Island Expressway near Shelter Rock Road, authorities say.

"The body is not going to be easily identified," said Det. Lt. Kevin Smith, a Nassau police spokesman.

Homicide detectives are on the scene, he said.

The body was discovered about 7:58 a.m., he said.

Smith said police have not connected the body with any particular case -- including that of missing Bethpage special-education teacher Leah Walsh. "There's no link," he said. "It's too soon to say."

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/nassau/ny-libody1030,0,4301257.story

nycnewsjunkie

BREAKING NEWS:

1010WINS is reporting that Nassau County Police have found a body in a wooded area in North Hills near the Long Island Expressway. There is speculation that it could be that of missing teacher Leah Walsh, but police have not confirmed the gender of the body, or that it is Walsh.

http://www.1010wins.com/Body-Found-in-Wooded-Area/3214776

Thats about 15 road miles away from where her vehicle was found off the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway in Bethpage.

wowthatsucks

I thought the media was only concerned with nice looking Caucasian women who are missing...

Yeah, so why are they covering this?

Jen S

This shit makes me so sad. I hope she's found soon.

TheEarlierThanLaterShow

How many versions of this story are being reported? That's the question I'd like to ask.

Gothamist, Newsday and the Daily News are all using different quotes, timelines and contributing sources.

Ugh...why do I bother.

SeasTooFarToReach

Novanglus, the husband said she sent him a text that morning that she had a flat tire. The night before, she sent her friend a message saying that they were fighting.

You've been watching Sleeping with the Enemy, haven't you? But yeah, let's all hope that we are all rotten in our minds and that she's ok.

Novanglus

supernova, the text was sent the NIGHT before. If anything, the text IMPLICATES the husband, so it would make no sense for him to have sent it.

However, I need to adjust my earlier statement.

Has anyone here though that maybe the wife bounced? Considering what she said to her friend, if you think about it, maybe she had faked her own disappearance or something.

I don't know where the car was found, but how difficult would it be for a man to drive the car somewhere, plant the purse and get home without ANYONE seeing, while still maintaining his own schedule and hiding her body?

She was the one saying it wasn't going to workout the night before, and that she had something very important to tell her [male] friend. Perhaps there's more to this.

I know the obvious thing is that he killed her, but if you consider the above, that's a possibility, too.

It also leaves hope that she is still alive.

Rfive

you're finished hubby... unfortunately, it looks grim for you.

SeasTooFarToReach

Boy, it sure sounds fishy for the husband... I mean, getting a text message, although traceable, does not prove that she actually sent it.

Let's wait a couple of days for details...

HUGO_MEGO

Hannah Upp redux.

Novanglus

Yeah, it does look like he did something to her that night nad tried to cover it up the next morning.

I'm sure evidence will come out quickly. I can't imaginee crimes of passion like that not leaving a significant trail, especially if he "planted" the car and her purse.

Either way, I'll hold on to that glimemr of hope that she is safe and sound.

nycviabos

10 to 1 the husband did it. So sad.

HolyDiver

She's dead and her husband did it. Gimme a break - he says she said she texted that she didn't know where she was?? Was it her first day living in the area and working at this school?

Why do people actually think this scenario will work when you decide to kill their spouse?

Exactly like that scumbag in S. Carolina who was finally charged with his jogging wife's death today. I solved that case 30 seconds after I heard the story - right here in my apt in NY.

Where's my Junior G-Man badge?

gregorsamsa77

sorry but I need to comment: what a marvelous long neck you have, m'am

Mr Mel

No, it's always the boyfriend.

theevilone

It's always the husband.

nice job

So on Sunday evening a friend gets a text message from her while she's in the car with her husband talking about a "huge fight." The following morning she's missing and the car is found abandoned by the side of the road.

That doesn't sound suspicious at all.

inoyourider

I wouldn't be so quick to judge.

You're probably right, but his statements ring true to me.

Barbj8

How many versions of this story have we all heard, with the husband so concerned; and then it turns out that he's the killer? Leaving the purse on the road is a nice touch.