I've created quite a stir with the news release I posted about the death of Leon Longburg.
Leon was a merchant seaman stationed aboard the USNS Gordon off the island of Crete in the Mediterranean Sea.
Perhaps, as my nephew David says, I should have minded my own business but what does one do when they hear that a family member is being held for questioning in the death of an American in a foreign country.
The Greek civil penalties for anyone involved in the death of an individual are quite severe by American standards so I thought a news release was warranted. I felt that a press release might spur a curious overseas reporter to pick up the story and help to bring a few more details of the investigation to light.
So far no information has been released to the public about Leon's death.
Neither The Department of the Navy or the Patriot Contract Services have made any information about Leon's death publicly available at this time.
Leon's father, John, who is also a merchant seaman, wants to know how his son died and why. Mr. Longburg said he had spoken to the Captain of the USNS Gordon but that Captain couldn't explain how Leon had died.
Mr Longburg told me that all he knew about Leon's death was that Leon's body was found floating in the Mediterranean Sea, near shore, off the island of Crete. Leon's body was found with all his personal possessions, wallet, backpack untouched. So it appears that robbery was not the motive for Leon's death.
All we know so far is that my nephew David was the last person to see Leon.
Leon was on the pier(dock) waiting for the ship's launch to return to the Gordon.
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