Police close case of girl missing 15 years; point at suspect

By JAMES MacPHERSON
Associated Press
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Fifteen years after 3-year-old Reachelle Smith disappeared, Minot’s police chief announced Tuesday that the case on the girl known as “Peanut” is closed and that police believe the only suspect in her disappearance killed her.
Chief John Klug said police think “without a doubt” that the girl was slain by Leigh Cowen, who killed himself about a week after Reachelle was last seen. Her body was never recovered.
At a news conference Tuesday, Klug and Capt. Jason Sundbakken revealed previously undisclosed evidence, including that a “substantial amount” of Reachelle's blood was found in a cooler at Cowen's home and that neighbors and family reported he had been acting strangely after the girl’s disappearance.

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