A cleanup crew discovered Amanda’s head and hands in a chest freezer in the garage of her mother’s home in Grand Junction.
However, authorities only identified Amanda through DNA last week. She had a bullet wound in the center of her forehead.
Highlights
- Amanda Overstreet’s remains were discovered in the freezer of the home, which her biological mother, Leanne Imer, previously owned.
- Overstreet’s stepfather passed away on July 7, 2021, due to COVID-19.
- She was adopted by her grandmother, Nelda Overstreet, who passed away due to lung cancer.
In a statement, the sheriff said Amanda was last seen in April 2005 and was believed to have been approximately 16 years old at the time of her disappearance.
Moreover, according to the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, no record of a missing person was ever filed for her.
According to CNN affiliate KJCT, longtime resident Jamison Perez recalled seeing Overstreet walk to school before her disappearance.
The coroner said Amanda was a resident of Grand Junction and Harris County, Texas.
According to a Facebook post by Rachel Lea Bius Valentine, Amanda was born on March 4, 1989, in Harris County, TX, but grew up in Kountze, TX.
Amanda Overstreet’s Biological mother, Leanne Imer, Lost Custody Due To Negligence And Abuse
Amanda LeAriel Overstreet was survived by her biological mother, Leanne Imer, 55, and her stepfather, Bradley Imer.
Sadly, her stepfather passed away due to COVID-19 on July 7, 2021, and Leanne set up a fundraiser to give him a proper burial.
Amanda was adopted by her grandmother, Nelda Overstreet, at three. Her biological mother, Leanne, lost custody due to negligence and abuse.
However, her grandmother Nelda became severely ill with lung cancer, which led to her untimely passing.
After Nelda’s passing, no one in Amanda’s family was willing for her to live with her biological mother, Leanne, her husband, Bradley, and their daughter, Elsie Imer, in Grand Junction, CO.
Once, Leanne called relatives in Kountze and told them she could no longer care for Amanda and needed money to bring her back to Texas.
A relative gave money to Leanne so she could transport Amanda back to Kountze. But she never returned and has never been seen or heard since then.
Amanda Overstreet was the 16 year old found and the investigation is active. Leanne, her mother, and Bradley, her stepfather are suspects. RIP #AmandaOverstreet #Colorado https://t.co/ryKE3BYpQn pic.twitter.com/aY1T0LYWDI
— ure_too_close (@ure_too_close) October 12, 2024
Leanne said that Amanda ran away at a truck stop in Amarillo, TX, and after she could not be found, she drove back home to Colorado.
Relatives suspected that Leanne did the secret burial of Amanda because she was scared they would remove her daughter Elsie from her custody.
Leanne told one of the relatives that Amanda passed away in 2005 due to an overdose, and she secretly buried her.
Additional Information
- According to local authorities, Amanda Overstreet had been missing for almost 20 years.
- It took almost nine months of investigation before the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office was able to release the identity of the victim of the Pinyon Avenue homicide case.
- Amanda’s classmates formed a group in 2017 after still not knowing any answers on her whereabouts.