Long Beach
Police Department

Update 8/31/20: 

Correction 6:50 p.m: The suspect's age was initially reported as 51, Leo is currently 54-years -old. 

Long Beach Police Homicide Detectives through their investigation determined the death of missing person Zachary Kennedy to be a murder and identified as 54-year-old Scott David Leo,  resident of Long Beach as being responsible. Kennedy and Leo had a personal relationship and detectives are continuing to investigate a possible motive, but believe this to be an isolated incident. Detectives presented their case to the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office and an arrest warrant was issued for Leo. On August 31, 2020, Detectives arrested Leo at his residence in the 500 block of W. 8^th Street. He was booked for murder and is currently being held on $2,000,000 bail in the Long Beach City Jail.

Original News Release 5/9/18:

REMAINS OF POSSIBLE MISSING PERSON HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED

UPDATE: The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office has notified the Long Beach Police department that the remains recovered are those of Zack Kennedy. A cause of death is still to be determined and no arrest have been made. 

In October of 2017, the Long Beach Police Department received a missing person’s report for 32-year-old Zach Kennedy of Long Beach.

Through relentless follow up in Kennedy’s disappearance, Detectives learned that he was last seen at a residence in the 500 block of W. 8th Street, and was possibly buried on the property.

On May 3, 2018, Detectives in possession of a search warrant began an excavation of the property on W. 8th Street, in the hope of finding Kennedy. Not long after Detectives began the excavation they located what they believe to be the remains of a human body buried on the property.

The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office responded to the scene and took possession of the remains. They will be responsible for identification and determining a cause of death.

Anyone with information in this case is urged to contact Homicide Detectives Scott Lasch and Teryl Hubert at (562) 570-7244. Anonymous tips may be submitted through "LA Crime Stoppers" by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), downloading the "P3 Tips" app to your smart phone (available at the Apple App store and Google Play), or visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org.