IT’S been one month since an Army veteran and father of two disappeared after he was turned away from the Navy base where he lived and worked.
The father of missing Jamell Leeheung II slammed law enforcement for reportedly dragging their feet through the crucial 48-hour period as he prepares to spend a Christmas without his son.
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On November 25, Leeheung, 25, left the Indian Head Naval Base near the Potomac River in Maryland, just over 30 miles south of Washington, DC, to have a drink at a nearby bar.
He was retired from the Army, but was living and working at the base as a contract employee with his wife Kayla and their two children.
Leeheung seemed to be in high spirits that day, and had chatted with several family members before he got to the local joint located around a 10-minute drive away.
At the bar, he hung out with some acquaintances and FaceTimed his best friend, who also said he appeared to be doing fine, his father said.
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Leeheung II also sent his dad pictures of his beer at around 11 pm and told him he was having a good time.
At 2 am, Leeheung II arrived back at the naval base but was turned away by a gate attendant who said there was too much damage to his car for it to be admitted.
The attendant asked Leeheung to park outside the base, but the veteran said something about getting it fixed and drove away.
He was never seen again.
Around 77% of missing adults are found within the first 24 hours of being reported, and 87% are discovered in two days, according to Missing People.
According to Jamell’s father Jamell Leeheung I, those crucial hours were spent discussing who would be looking for his son.
“It was really frustrating because it was an issue about who was gonna look for him, whether it’s gonna be the Navy for the local sheriffs,” Leeheung I said in an exclusive conversation with The U.S. Sun.
“It took me to get the ball rolling for the local sheriff to look into it.”
Two days after he was last seen, Leeheung’s car was dragged out of Mattawoman Creek, around a 20-minute drive from the base, and a massive search effort was launched.
Drones, dive teams, and K-9 units all assisted in scouring the shallow waters two weeks after his disappearance on December 9, but there was still no sign of Leeheung.
His heartbroken father admitted he’s been pleased with the search since the Charles County Sheriff’s Office picked up the case, but worries about the lack of information.
“They haven’t found any signs of foul play,” said the dad.
“We really don’t have many answers.”
The U.S. Sun has reached out to the Navy and the sheriff’s office for comment on Leeheung I’s concerns.
CHILLING THEORIES
While there are no answers on what happened to Leeheung, the Army vet’s father has voiced several disturbing theories.
When asked if anyone at the bar talked about seeing the vet, Leehueng’s father said the people he was with weren’t his real friends.
“It’s people he might have seen come and go, or might have been talking to that night, but I wouldn’t call them friends,” he said.
Leeheung I, who is also an Army veteran, has a lot of questions about what happened that night, and wonders if others could be involved.
He said it appeared his son’s car was pushed into the river instead of him driving it there and questioned if Leeheung II was drugged at the bar.
“It’s all just theories and guesses of what we think, but we have no proof for any of it,” he said.
With little information to encourage them, Leeheung’s family is finding difficulty keeping up hope.
“We’ve felt like we’ve exhausted everything now,” he told The U.S. Sun.
“We’re running out of things that we can do… Nothing makes sense in this story.”
‘PLEASE COME HOME’
Jamell’s been described as the superhero of his family, as he was idolized by his wife, six younger sisters, and 5-year-old son.
“When he walked into a room, his presence was known,” his father said.
“He was very outspoken, but would take care of other people when they needed help.”
On December 9, two weeks after he went missing, Jamell’s wife, Kayla, pleaded for her husband to come home.
“I love you so much. If you’re out there, please come home,” she told local CBS affiliate WUSA.
The two are high school sweethearts and share two young children.
“Going through this tough time, I always looked at my husband as my superhero and like he was invincible, so I’m still praying that he is that invincible man, that he will be found,” she said.
Both Kayla and Leeheung I have said the most difficult part of his disappearance is the questions his little son are starting to ask.
“He’s starting to cry at night because daddy’s not here, so it’s been tough,” Kayla said.
“His dad is his best friend. That’s his right-hand man, his wingman.
“For him to not see daddy right now is taking a toll on him slowly like he’s starting to understand.”
Leeheung I even described it as the “hardest part” of his son being missing.
“I have to talk to my grandson and know the pain and grief that he’s going through,” Leeheung I said.
The heartbroken grandfather said he couldn’t imagine going through Christmas without hearing his son’s voice.
“We all need you back. Your entire family. Everyone’s hurting right now. Life’s not the same,” he told The U.S. Sun.
“We all just miss you, and we’re all praying that you return back to your family.”
Jamell is described as being 6-foot-2 and around 162 pounds.
His father said Jamell has a disability.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Bringley with the Charles County Sheriff’s Department at 301-609-6499.
A reward of up to $1,000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest or indictment of someone responsible for a crime in the county.
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