Augusta, Georgia — The Leon Ellison murder remains one of Richmond County’s most haunting unsolved cases. More than 30 years have passed since the 17-year-old disappeared on his birthday and was later found shot to death in a wooded area.
March 29, 1994, was supposed to be a day of celebration.
Instead, it became the beginning of a nightmare that Leon’s family is still living through decades later.
On the morning of his 17th birthday, Leon Ellison drove his mother, Leomie Blocker, to work in the family’s 1986 Oldsmobile Delta 88. It was something he did regularly. He was expected to return later that day to pick her up when her shift ended.
He never arrived.
Concerned almost immediately, Leon’s mother reported him missing. According to Blocker, Richmond County deputies initially believed Leon had run away. It was not until a friend in law enforcement from New Jersey contacted then-Sheriff Ronnie Strength that the investigation began receiving greater attention.
As investigators worked to retrace Leon’s final known movements, they learned he had visited Regency Mall after dropping off his mother. He stopped at a record shop where he was well known.
Leon collected baseball cards and occasionally traded them for gas money before buying them back after payday. The store owner told investigators Leon left the shop at approximately 1 p.m.
He was scheduled to attend a job interview at Applebee’s on Wrightsboro Road at 2 p.m.
He never showed up.
Leon Ellison Investigation
Three days after Leon disappeared, his Oldsmobile mysteriously reappeared at Regency Mall.
The vehicle was parked in the exact location where Leon normally left it.
A family friend who worked mall security had searched the parking lot daily and stated the vehicle had not been there previously.
Investigators found extensive interior and exterior damage to the car. The registration and proof of insurance were missing from the glove compartment.
Family members later recalled hearing that an acid-like substance may have been used on the seats and steering wheel in what appeared to be an effort to destroy fingerprints and other evidence.
One detail stood out to Leon’s mother more than any other.
The vehicle had been returned to Leon’s usual parking space.
According to Blocker, very few people knew where Leon routinely parked.
The discovery only deepened the mystery surrounding his disappearance.
Remains Found in Wooded Area
Nearly two weeks after Leon vanished, a couple living in a nearby mobile home community allowed their dog outside. The dog returned carrying a single shoe.
Knowing authorities were actively searching for a missing teenager, they contacted law enforcement.
On April 8, 1994, investigators discovered Leon’s remains in a vacant wooded lot in the 4400 block of Peach Orchard Road.
The body had been significantly decomposed and affected by wildlife. According to the coroner’s report, only portions of Leon’s remains were recovered, including a backbone, rib cage, decomposed skull, and one foot still inside a shoe.
Dental records were used to confirm his identity.
The cause of death was a single gunshot wound to the head.
Investigators narrowed the timeline of Leon’s disappearance to roughly one hour. More than 50 people were interviewed, and multiple polygraph examinations were conducted.
Authorities ruled out drugs and gang involvement early in the investigation.
Investigators also received information regarding an argument Leon reportedly had shortly before he disappeared, but no evidence ever definitively linked the dispute to his murder.
The case eventually went cold.
More than three decades later, Leon’s family continues to wait for answers.
“There’s not a day goes by that I don’t think, I hope something happens today,” his mother, Leomie Blocker, said. “If I could find out what really happened, I could put that part of it to rest.”
Leon’s sister, Betty Ellison, said their father died before seeing justice served and hopes her mother never has to experience the same heartbreak.
“When Leon was kidnapped and murdered, the world missed out on the opportunity to have a decent human being in it,” Blocker said.
More than 30 years have passed since Leon disappeared on his birthday. His killer has never been identified, and his family continues to search for the truth.
Anyone with information regarding the murder of Leon Ellison is urged to contact the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office at (706) 821-1020 or The Augusta Press at (706) 834-8677.
© The Vivid Faces of the Vanished