Philipsburg/ Misson Viejo: -- The mother of missing American Leta Lynn Cordes has passed away on Friday last week after a prolonged illness said friend of the missing woman Elaine Karas. The elderly woman passed away last Friday. Karas said the family has been struck with yet another tragedy while the mother of Leta did not get the closer she needed on her daughter before she died. In an email to SMN News Karas said "there is another sad chapter to the tragedy of Leta Cordes disappearance. Modena Mc Lendon, Leta Cordes mother passed away this past Friday March 6th, 2009 due to complications of Alzheimer's disease.
Leta was one of her mother's primary caretakers when she disappeared.
Only five months after Leta Cordes disappearance Mrs. Mc Lendon was placed in a State run hospital for lack of proper care. Sadly Leta Cordes mother died alone in a California State Hospital.
The only peace this news gives us is that Modena Mclendon is now in heaven with three of her children that left this world much too early. Rory has not only lost his mother and two uncles, but now his beloved Grandmother."
Leta Lynn Cordes went missing on January 11, 2008 after she allegedly left her Dawn Beach home to go over to the Westin Casino to gamble. Ever since that night the woman who hails from Mission Viejo has never been seen. Her husband Frank Cordes spent close to four months behind bars as he is considered a suspect in her disappearance. The prosecutor had to release Cordes for a lack of evidence however; he remains a suspect in the sudden disappearance of his wife.
Some weeks ago the friends of Leta teamed up with the RST and other security companies and conducted a massive search of the Le Galleon Beach in the hope of finding the woman remains. The searchers who had at least three cadaver dogs with them turned up empty handed.
However, the friends remain hopeful that the local authorities would be able to bring the culprit or culprit's t justice someday.