Leonard Neal Dirickson

Status:

Open

Missing From:

Strong City, Oklahoma

Summary:

Leonard Neal "Lenny" Dirickson disappeared from Strong City, Oklahoma on March 14, 1998, at age 39. An unidentified man arrived at the Dirickson farmhouse in a white pickup truck asking about buying one of Dirickson's stud horses. Dirickson left with the man to show him the animal and was never seen again. As of February 2026, the whereabouts of Leonard Dirickson remain unknown and the case is listed as an open cold case by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Disappearance:

On the morning of March 14, 1998, Dirickson and his son Jared were having breakfast at their ranch in Strong City when, at approximately 9:00 a.m., a white pickup truck pulled into the driveway. Dirickson stepped outside to speak with the driver and, after several minutes, returned indoors. He told his son that the visitor had come to view one of his stud horses with the intention of buying it, and that he would be travelling with the man to Elk City and then to Mobeetie, Texas. He promised Jared he would be back that afternoon. Before leaving, he asked his son to go pick up feed for their pigs before the store closed at noon. The horse the visitor asked about had apparently never been advertised for sale, and the man has never been identified. Jared contacted his grandparents, who lived in Elk City, and asked if they had heard from him. When it became clear that Leonard had not reached out to anyone, his parents reported him missing the following morning.

Additional Details:

Dirickson married his high school sweetheart, Kathy, and the two established a dairy business together which they operated out of an 800-acre ranch in Strong City. Together, the couple had two children: Jared and Connie. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1996, leading to a contentious custody dispute over their two children. Kathy was granted custody of Connie and relocated with her to Hammon, Oklahoma. Jared chose to stay with his father. From then on, Leonard and his son resided on the Strong City ranch where they raised hogs and cattle. Following the divorce, the Diricksons' dairy operation collapsed amid falling prices and rising animal feed expenses. Dirickson sold the business in December 1997, just three months before his disappearance. By January 1998, Leonard had taken a job at a metal company in Elk City and told his parents he was happy there. There have been two reported sightings of Dirickson since his 1998 disappearance. A server at the Kettle Restaurant in Elk City told authorities that a man resembling Dirickson stopped at the eatery at approximately 11:00 a.m. on March 14. Investigators believe that the employee may have confused Dirickson with another individual. He had breakfast at home prior to his disappearance and Dirickson's family members said it was uncharacteristic of him to eat again shortly afterwards. Authorities also received a phone call from an unidentified man in an Amarillo, Texas bar six months after Dirickson vanished. The caller claimed that he was seated next to Dirickson in the establishment. Both the caller and the man thought to be Dirickson had disappeared by the time investigators arrived on the scene. Neither of these sightings has been confirmed. Dirickson was left in debt after his 1996 divorce. His family members said he was very close to his son and would never voluntarily leave on his own. Authorities believe that foul play may have been involved in Dirickson's disappearance, but there is little evidence to support any theory.

Case Last Updated:

Sep 15, 2026