Reachelle Marie Smith

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

Minot Police Department (ND)

Missing From:

Minot, North Dakota

Summary:

Reachelle Marie Smith, age 3, was last seen sleeping on a couch by her aunt and legal guardian Stephanie Smith at 10:30 p.m. on May 16, 2006, and was gone when Stephanie woke up the next morning. Police believe she was murdered by the downstairs neighbor living with the family, Leigh Cowen, who committed suicide five days following Reachelle's disappearance. Her body has not been found, and her case remains unsolved.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Disappearance:

Reachelle was last seen by her aunt and legal guardian, Stephanie Smith, at 10:30 p.m. on May 16, 2006. Reachelle was asleep on the couch at the time. When Stephanie woke up the next morning, the child was gone. Her roommate, Leigh Cowen, stated his mother had picked up Reachelle and would be keeping her for a few days. He was very close to Reachelle and claimed to be her father, although he wasn't related to her. Stephanie believed his story, but she became concerned as days passed with no word from either Reachelle or Cowen's mother. On May 22, Cowen stole Stephanie's teal 1995 Ford van and disappeared. Stephanie called Cowen's mother and discovered that she did not have Reachelle and had no idea where the child was. Stephanie then reported her niece as a missing child, and Cowen became the prime suspect in her disappearance. The stolen van was located in the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge on May 23. Cowen's body was inside; he had died by suicide, by poisoning himself with carbon monoxide.

Additional Details:

An extensive search of the area turned up no sign of Reachelle, but police did find a large red cooler her family had owned. Inside the cooler was ammonia, rags, and a "substantial" amount of Reachelle's blood, indicating she'd suffered a serious injury. The cooler had disappeared at about the same time Reachelle did. As of May 26th, a force of 200 searchers continued the mission to find the little girl. Search teams scoured parks, a local river and a city landfill in hopes of finding clues. The National Guard also joined the search. In 2021, fifteen years after Reachelle's disappearance, authorities stated there was "compelling" and "overwhelming" evidence that Cowen had murdered her, and that "there is no other explanation" for her disappearance that's plausible. Minot Police announced at a press conference that they have concluded there is overwhelming evidence that Reachelle Smith was murdered in May 2006 by family friend Leigh Cowen, who killed himself at the Upper Souris Wildlife Refuge five days later. The child's remains have never been found, but police reviewed evidence and witness statements and concluded the child is dead and Cowen was the only one responsible. The case will be closed and no further investigation will be conducted unless some kind of compelling information would be brought to their attention or if her remains are recovered.

Case Last Updated:

Apr 30, 2026