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Did He Kill His Wife and Child?
Leila and Mary Rachel Bryan
It terrifies me how easily people can go missing. A serial killer sets their sights on you, or a spouse decides they do not want a divorce or a child playing outside is an easy target for the many monsters in the world. Whatever the reason you are gone without a trace. Leila and Mary Bryan are two of the many who vanished never to be seen again.
On May 10th, 1941, the husband was readying the basement floor for pouring concrete when Leila decided she needed to go to the store. There are two versions of why she went out at 9 PM. One she ran to get a new bra at the corner dime store and two she ran to the grocery store. It doesn’t really matter the reason now because the result was, she took her daughter and her husband’s black 1935 Ford Model A coupe and never returned. E.C. went to bed and was later awakened by Leila’s brother and her friend. Soon after E.C. reported his wife and child missing. Leila’s family was well known and liked in Bladenboro and the pressure was on to find the mother and daughter. Within the first five days E.C. offered a reward for anyone who knew where his wife and daughter were or had information. The amount was $100.00, worth about 2,000 now or maybe a little more.
Leila had polished her daughter’s best shoes and had her bags packed to go see her family. For whatever reason Leila took…
