Missing Person/True Story/Public Appeal
Where is Patrick?
Patrick Leboucher left his home to go for a run one Sunday afternoon — he was never seen again
The above title sounds like a novel or a Hollywood movie. Or even one of my short stories. Unfortunately, this is real.
At 1.30pm on 12 September 2021, Patrick Leboucher, 66, a retired bus driver, from Lisieux, France, left his house for a three-hour run. He never returned.
At six o’clock that evening, his partner, having returned from a family gathering, was surprised not to see Patrick back. Alarmed, she went to look for him in the nearby lanes. At eight o’clock, she called Patrick’s daughter, Sandrine, who alerted the police.
For the next five days, the police scoured the area between his home, Glos, and Courtonne-la-Meudrac: the areas he normally ran.
A witness said that she had seen a man resembling Patrick running in the nearby village of Glos at around 4.20pm on Sunday evening. This indicated he had been running for just under three hours, and was most likely on his way back home — a distance of 4 km (2.5 miles).
After an extensive search, there was no sign of Patrick. No body, no article of clothing, no trace. A mystery.
Many asked, why didn’t they track his GPS or phone? For the simple reason, Patrick didn’t have one. Nor did he ever tell anyone what route he was taking.
A year later (2022), another appeal was launched. A new witness said she saw a runner like Patrick on the road from Courtonne-les-deux-Eglises to Saint-Germain-la-Campagne at 5:00 pm on the Sunday evening.
Despite not tallying in with the previous sightings of him in Glos, this area was also searched. But nothing was found.
Two and a half years later, and despite an appeal on national television this week on the TV show Appel à témoins (call for witnesses), Patrick’s disappearance remains a mystery.
So What Happened?
Some have claimed he could have been accidentally shot by a hunter. Some have speculated about the presence of a serial killer.
More plausible is that he was hit by a car or a van, and the body removed. One anonymous witness did say that someone told her a van had hit a runner on a lane, and that the driver was very drunk.
Locals have said that these lanes, especially Le Chemin de la Quesse, that leads up to where Patrick lives, is often used by drunk drivers to avoid the police.
One theory is that Patrick arrived in Glos, and as he was heading home on Le Chemin De La Quesse, he was hit and bundled into the back of a car or van.
Unfortunately, the police have made no headway with this idea, and so far, no arrests have been made.
Even after the television appeal on Tuesday, no further clues have been unturned. The only thing that is clear is that Patrick Leboucher left his home and never came back.
So What’s This To Do With Me?
Two reasons. One, I live 8 miles from Glos. Secondly, I’m a runner.
I run the same tracks Patrick has done. I can’t say, I’ve ever passed him, as it’s rare I venture that far over, but I might have done.
Similarly, I never take a GPS or phone with me. I don’t even take a watch. And I never tell my wife where I’m going.
There’s no evidence of a serial killer here. But that’s not what bothers me. What bothers me is that I could leave my house and never return. That could have been me.
I run probably three times a week. It’s my hobby, and I’ve done it since I was young. I've run thousands of miles, and I’ve never feared for my life. Not once. Just like Patrick wouldn’t have done either.
I never knew him, but I knew what he was thinking. There’s nothing better than setting out on a run on a nice afternoon. I do it myself. It’s the highlight of the day. I love it. Just like Patrick would have loved it.
Conclusion
I don’t want to speculate what happened to him. His family fear the worst, and just want to know the truth. Find his body and give him a proper burial.
Some people I’ve spoken to think not enough has been done to solve the case. A mere retired bus driver doesn’t require the full attention of the state. Perhaps if he was richer, things might be different, they say. Idle gossip, maybe.
One thing I am sure of though is that someone round here knows something. They are just not saying.
For more information, see the Facebook page Recherche Patrick Leboucher
If you have information, call 0800 10 11 21 (In France). Or email : appelatemoins@m6.fr. Or phone the police on 17 (in France). He was wearing black shorts, a T-shirt, and blue Hoka sneakers (written in yellow).
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