Tami Lynn Leppert

[Juliet4]

My thinking on this case is state mommy was pimping her daughter out to Hollywood thugs. She saw something criminal at a Hollywood party that deeply traumatized her and knew it would do no good telling her pimp mama. She had no one. I think she was breaking down because years of her mothers exploitation and whatever it was she witnessed and I think she left with the promise of safety from yet another adult that wanted to exploit her. My gut is either she was killed by him or sex trafficked. With her close link with Hollywood and her so used to the exploitation by adults it was probably not too difficult to do. Nobody was talking about ST back then and get countless women and children were sex trafficked into prostitution. She probably languished there until some pimp / trafficker killed her.

[Juliet4]

Originally Posted by dynoguy88

But surely not on the same level, I would imagine. Being a guy, I can't relate and speak from personal experience, obviously. But I've never known or heard of a woman whose pregnancy hormones were THAT extreme ... Paranoia to the point of thinking your family is poisoning you and breaking windows with a baseball bat.

I too tend to think she witnessed something horrible mainly because I don't think psychological disorders can just develope overnight. And there are no reports that she had any mental issues or paranoia at any time in her life prior to that last year before she went missing.

I've always wanted to know the specifics of that out of town weekend party she went to unchaperoned because she was never the same after that.

Oh yes, those female hormones are real! Plus if she was suffering some sort of PTSD or trauma from the Hollywood party this would make complete sense. Her breakdown is very believable. I don’t believe it was drugs but rather a reaction to a trauma. Possibly rape or witness to a rape or murder.

[Juliet4]

I agree 100% I think this ties back to Hollywood elite whom are protected like Catholic priests, it seems.

[Latka Gravas]

I've seen the threads about TLL numerous times on this forum, but never knew anything about the case until seeing the segment in the S05 premiere.

Extremely strange. I think TLL was mentally unbalanced and/or on drugs. I'm not convinced that someone was actually "after" her, but it's definitely possible. I.e., she could have had mental issues & also had someone after her as well.

The big question obviously is: What happened to her?! The last time she was seen was in a parking lot - barefoot, and with no purse - and possibly near a busy highway (according to what was seen in the segment). I see several possibilities:

1) Without money - she tried to hitch-hike home, and was killed by whoever picked her up. If this is what happened, it was probably a crime of opportunity.

2) Someone was targeting her, kidnapped her, and killed her.

3) She was accidentally hit by a car (possibly at night), and the person panicked & disposed of the body.

4) The most unlikely possibility is that she is still alive somewhere; possibly homeless. But, if that's the case you would think she would have turned up by now.

It does seem like her mother used TLL to her own financial advantage. Sad. I wonder what would have happened if she had made it out to CA to try and become an actress. Would she have made it big in Hollywood, or faded into obscurity?!

I have seen Scarface (vicious film) but don't remember her character; it sounds like she only had a brief cameo. I still need to see Spring Break.

[infinityluxe]

This case always boggled my mind. Tammy definitely had trauma induced psychosis. The fact so many people on UM have disappeared without a trace is just scary to even fathom. You could be living your life one day and then the next you are GONE.

[James T]

Originally Posted by Juliet4

I agree 100% I think this ties back to Hollywood elite whom are protected like Catholic priests, it seems.

Let's be realistic-she had a bit part in some films. She wasn't some huge Hollywood star & to the majority of people around the set of Scarface she would have just been another hot girl in a bikini.

[James T]

Originally Posted by Latka Gravas

I have seen Scarface (vicious film) but don't remember her character; it sounds like she only had a brief cameo. I still need to see Spring Break.

She was the hot girl in a blue bikini who distracts Pacino's lookout guy when the drug deal is going down-the famous chainsaw scene.

[SPD Yellow]

Originally Posted by Juliet4

Oh yes, those female hormones are real! Plus if she was suffering some sort of PTSD or trauma from the Hollywood party this would make complete sense. Her breakdown is very believable. I don’t believe it was drugs but rather a reaction to a trauma. Possibly rape or witness to a rape or murder.

As mentioned in previous posts, all this talk about Tami’s unstable behavior comes from Wing and her mother, and that her friends have said she wasn’t acting strange.

I have my doubts as well. If her mother and Wing’s reports are accurate, then her behavior is textbook mental illness. But Tami spent 48 hours in a psychiatric ward and was discharged without receiving any diagnosis. If she was that obviously mentally ill, shouldn’t she have been diagnosed with something? After all, she would have been studied and examined by people who have more than a layman’s knowledge of mental illness.

[James T]

Originally Posted by SPD Yellow

As mentioned in previous posts, all this talk about Tami’s unstable behavior comes from Wing and her mother, and that her friends have said she wasn’t acting strange.

I have my doubts as well. If her mother and Wing’s reports are accurate, then her behavior is textbook mental illness. But Tami spent 48 hours in a psychiatric ward and was discharged without receiving any diagnosis. If she was that obviously mentally ill, shouldn’t she have been diagnosed with something? After all, she would have been studied and examined by people who have more than a layman’s knowledge of mental illness.

This was 1983, mental health & diagnosis was not what it is in the modern world. It is more likely a case of stopping any self harm or harm to others & as her triggers were quite probably in large part her family she would have been released as she calmed.

[Killarney Rose]

Originally Posted by SPD Yellow

As mentioned in previous posts, all this talk about Tami’s unstable behavior comes from Wing and her mother, and that her friends have said she wasn’t acting strange.

I have my doubts as well. If her mother and Wing’s reports are accurate, then her behavior is textbook mental illness. But Tami spent 48 hours in a psychiatric ward and was discharged without receiving any diagnosis. If she was that obviously mentally ill, shouldn’t she have been diagnosed with something? After all, she would have been studied and examined by people who have more than a layman’s knowledge of mental illness.

Not necessarily. I know a man who is currently a loose cannon. He is off his meds and a danger to himself and possibly others. When it first happened, he was locked up for evaluation. He managed to fool the judge that he is okay, but he definitely is not okay.

[bell83]

Originally Posted by SPD Yellow

As mentioned in previous posts, all this talk about Tami’s unstable behavior comes from Wing and her mother, and that her friends have said she wasn’t acting strange.

I have my doubts as well. If her mother and Wing’s reports are accurate, then her behavior is textbook mental illness. But Tami spent 48 hours in a psychiatric ward and was discharged without receiving any diagnosis. If she was that obviously mentally ill, shouldn’t she have been diagnosed with something? After all, she would have been studied and examined by people who have more than a layman’s knowledge of mental illness.

You know what? This made me think of something I'd never thought of, before. Personally, I do think she had some sort of mental illness, however...

What if in the course of her hospitalization, she had actually spoken with a therapist and actually explained the issue(s), leading to the non-diagnosis? Maybe (again, very unlikely, but it's possible) there was actually a patient file on her that explained the issue(s). I wonder if LE ever looked into that.