Lawrence Riegel's Disappearance: Phone Records, Suspects, and Unresolved Mystery

Initial Disappearance & Family Concerns

• 💡 Lawrence "Larry" Riegel was reported missing on January 10, 2010, from Yakima, Washington, after last being seen around Christmas 2009.
• 📌 His sister, Susan Riegel Vaughn, grew concerned when Larry, known for his close family contact, missed their annual post-Christmas dinner on December 26th.
• 🧠 Larry was in a fragile state after major neck surgery, experiencing pain and weakness, and was struggling financially, relying on welfare benefits.

Girlfriend's Conflicting Stories

• 💬 Larry's live-in girlfriend, Ladina Mann, provided inconsistent accounts of his whereabouts, claiming he went to Seattle, was asleep, or left on foot after an argument.
• 🚗 Ladina returned Larry's car to the man he bought it from, Rey, on January 4th, stating Larry wouldn't make more payments, which Susan found highly unusual.
• ⚠️ Days before Larry was officially reported missing, Ladina filed an assault report against him, alleging he hit her multiple times on January 4th.

Suspicious Phone Records & Car Return

• 📞 Larry's phone records showed abrupt cessation of activity after Christmas Day 2009, with only a few outgoing calls on December 29th from his home, not Seattle.
• 🧩 When Larry's phone was found in his car's glove box, its SIM card was missing, leading police to believe he wouldn't have left on his own.
• 💸 Ladina admitted to using Larry's EBT card to access his welfare benefits after his disappearance and was seen holding yard sales for his personal property.

The Tenant's Strange Theory

• 🏡 Detectives focused on Don Martin, a tenant at a farmhouse Larry managed, who owed Larry rent money and had a history of deception and substance use disorder.
• 🗣️ Don claimed Larry left him 13 drunk voicemails on New Year's Day but couldn't provide them, and his phone records showed 15 calls with Ladina between December 26th and January 7th.
• 🔪 In a recorded interview, Don presented a bizarre theory that Ladina might have poisoned or stabbed Larry in the back, then disposed of his body in a pasture.

Ongoing Investigation & Family's Suspicions

• 🔍 Police faced challenges due to lack of physical evidence and conflicting testimonies, with initial reports of Larry's disappearance being dismissed by the police.
• 🎗️ Susan Riegel Vaughn tirelessly organized fundraisers and events for years to raise awareness and generate leads for her brother's case.
• 🚨 In 2025, investigators reopened parts of the case, using cadaver dogs which identified two alert points, but Larry's remains have still not been found.
• 🎯 Larry's family, particularly Susan, believes foul play occurred involving Ladina and Don, potentially at the Yakama reservation farmhouse.