Marie Leona (Lee) Lackey gave birth to Nancy Ann Lackey Launt on May 19, 1972. Nancy was the third child in the family. She was the second child fathered by Arthur Lackey. According to what social workers told me, Arthur Lackey permanently left the home as a result of Marie Leona (Lee) Lackey becoming pregnant with Nancy. The social workers said, she blamed Nancy for the break up of her marriage. Therefore, according to the social workers, although all the children received abuse, Nancy received the greatest amount, and the greatest severity, of the abuse.
Marie Leona (Lee) Lackey twisted Nancy's leg until it broke, when Nancy was 4 years old. Shortly after Nancy was removed from her care, Marie Leona (Lee) Lackey disappeared. Social services did not know where she was. When Nancy was adopted by my husband and myself, at the age of 8½, social services still did not know where to find Marie Leona (Lee) Lackey.
When Paul, Arthur and Nancy were in their teens, Marie Leona (Lee) Lackey reappeared. Arthur sent Nancy her address. Nancy started to write and call her long distance. All the contacts Nancy made with Marie Leona (Lee) Lackey were with our permission. As far as I could tell, Nancy was always the one who initiated the contacts, while her biological mother simply responded. According to Nancy, Marie Leona (Lee) Lackey said she loved Nancy; she said Nancy should never have been removed from her care; she said Nancy should be living with her. In August, 1989, Marie Leona (Lee) Lackey sent Nancy the bus, or train, fare to travel from Maryland to Massachusetts. Nancy could then live with her, her live-in boyfriend, Richard Lackey, and Paul at 74 Wilson Road in North Billerica, Massachusetts.
Nancy disappeared from the household of Marie Leona (Lee) Lackey and Richard Lackey in December, 1989 or January, 1990, just 4 to 5 months after she had arrived there. According to Judith Gaines of The Boston Globe, there was constant fighting between Nancy and her biological mother. Marie Leona (Lee) Lackey was noted for calling Nancy a slut and locking her out of the apartment. The morning after the last known fight between Nancy and her biological mother, Nancy was nowhere to be found. Her clothes were still in the apartment. When Paul asked his mother where Nancy was, she said Nancy had run away during the night. Paul went out to look for Nancy, but did not find her. Marie Leona (Lee) Lackey did not go out to look for Nancy. She did not try to find Nancy. She did not file a missing persons report with the police. Did she just not care about her daughter? Did she already know Nancy was dead? Did Marie Leona (Lee) Lackey begin telling people Nancy had gone back to Maryland, so people would not continue looking for her?
Everyone now knows Nancy disappeared in December, 1989 or January, 1990 because she was murdered and buried in a vacant lot owned by the Chelmsford Car Wash in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. Marie Leona (Lee) Lackey and Richard Lackey moved to Hopkinsville, Kentucky in 1991. The only reason, I have heard for the move, was they were tired of Massachusetts. They wanted a change. However, according to neighbors, they left their clothes, their furniture, and food out on the counter and table in the kitchen. I have to ask why Marie Leona (Lee) Lackey and Richard Lackey left in such a hurry. Were they frightened of something? I, also, have to ask myself why, many years later, Marie Leona (Lee) Lackey told a Massachusetts member of her family, Nancy was living with her in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. We now know Nancy had been dead for many years when Marie Leona (Lee) Lackey made this statement. I wonder why she wished to create the impression Nancy was alive and well?
Marie Leona (Lee) Lackey and Richard Lackey, lived together for many years without feeling the need to get married. However, shortly after Nancy disappeared, they suddenly felt the need to get married. He proposed to her on Valentine's Day, 1990. Could they have thought, they could not testify against each other if they were married? I wonder. Richard Lackey said he killed Nancy, but he tended to be afraid of his wife. She abused him. She broke his nose once. She gouged out the inside of his mouth with her fingernails. Could she have forced him to accept the blame for Nancy's death even though he did not actually kill her? Nancy was very strong. Could it have taken more than one person to kill Nancy? If Richard Lackey did kill Nancy, by himself, did Marie Leona (Lee) Lackey help him get rid of the body and/or cover up the crime? I just wonder why Marie Leona (Lee) Lackey and Richard Lackey made the sudden decision to get married.
After Richard Lackey committed suicide, Marie Leona (Lee) Lackey told the police, she had known he was responsible for Nancy's death since December 31, 1998. When asked why she did not call the police with this information, she said she did not know their telephone number. However, she knew their telephone number in order to call for help, when she discovered her husband's body.
There were 4 people (Nancy, Paul, Marie Leona (Lee) Lackey, and Richard Lackey) in the house, the last time anyone saw or heard Nancy alive. The neighbors said there was a huge fight going on between Nancy and her mother. Paul said Nancy and their mother were fighting. Paul said their mother had been drinking. Paul is definitely not a suspect in Nancy's death. Nancy and Richard Lackey are now dead. Richard Lackey left a suicide note saying he killed Nancy. But the police have not closed the case! Why not?