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May 8, 2025 32 mins

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This month, Box in the Basement returns to where it all began—the story of Leon Laureles, a beloved 30-year-old man who was murdered execution-style outside of Brownwood, Texas, on May 10, 1996. His case remains unsolved and is suspected to be a hate crime.

Host Arlene, Leon’s niece, shares her deeply personal account of Leon’s life, the night she learned he was killed, and the decades of grief, unanswered questions, and systemic failure that followed. Through raw emotion and courageous storytelling, Arlene sheds light on the injustice surrounding Leon’s case—and so many others like his.

In this special series, Arlene also details her fight for truth: hiring a private investigator, navigating corrupt law enforcement, filing FOIA requests, hosting vigils, and securing media coverage to keep Leon’s name alive. With the support of listeners and new legal tools like the Homicide Victims' Families’ Rights Act, Arlene is determined to reopen the case and push for accountability.

Join us this May as we honor Leon’s life, confront the past, and demand justice.

🕯️ Memorial Event:
📍 May 31, 2025, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
📍 Common Grounds Coffee House, 809 Main St, Brownwood, TX

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