Search continues for married couple Leo and Katherine Lindeman, missing from Missouri home

You could say that Leo and Katherine Lindeman live off the grid. The couple, both in their 70s, bought 15 acres of land in rural Anderson, Missouri, in 2021. Leo, a retired mason, built the home himself. Solar panels powered their appliances, and without air conditioning, they often left the doors and windows open to ventilate the house. Cell service was poor, so they primarily kept up with family via text. For Leo and Katherine, it was perfect. They had friends in the area, but they spent most of their time on their property. “They really just wanted to retire and have peacefulness,” Leo’s sister-in-law Debra Lindeman told Dateline. But around September 16, 2026, that peaceful life was shattered when Leo, Katherine, and their dog, Itty Bitty, vanished without a trace. Dateline spoke with Debra and her daughter, LaShawnda Lindeman. Both live in Wichita, Kansas, and say the family received a call from Missouri law enforcement on September 24 informing them that a neighbor had reported Leo and Katherine missing. According to LaShawnda, her aunt and uncle had a standing weekly dinner date with their neighbor. On September 15, Katherine went to the dinner while Leo stayed home, waiting for an appointment with an electrician. The next day, September 16, the neighbor stopped by the Lindeman home to return dishes from the night before. He found the doors and windows open, but no sign of Leo or Katherine. He left the dishes on the table with a note. “He called them, texted them. He didn’t hear from them,” LaShawnda said. The following week, when the Lindemans failed to show up for their regular dinner, the neighbor became concerned. “And when it came and went that they were supposed to come and have dinner with him, then he went back out there to check on them,” LaShawnda said. When the neighbor returned, the dishes and note he’d left the previous week were still on the table, and there was no sign of the Lindemans. LaShawnda says the neighbor called the McDonald County Sheriff’s Department to report Leo and Katherine missing on September 24. On September 26, the McDonald County Sheriff’s Office released a missing persons poster for Leo and Katherine on its Facebook page which confirmed they were reported missing on September 24 and gave an approximate date of disappearance as September 16. Dateline reached out to the McDonald County Sheriff’s Office for further information but has not yet received a response. On September 28, LaShawnda and other members of the family traveled from Wichita to the Lindeman property to help with the search. “The gate was left unlocked, the home was left unlocked,” LaShawnda said. The couple’s vehicle was also on the property. “When they left, they left — everything was in place,” Debra said. “The bed was made still. The house was in perfect order.” According to Debra, the couple’s personal belongings, including cellphones, IDs, and Katherine’s purse, were found inside the home. Their medications were also left behind, particularly concerning given that Leo had survived five heart attacks and Katherine was living with lupus. “All the medication was still there,” LaShawnda said. According to the family, none of this was typical behavior for Leo and Katherine. If the couple were traveling for an extended period, they would have closed up the house and taken their essential medications. That same day the family arrived, a private drone operator from Arkansas met up with them at the property to help search for Leo and Katherine. The search turned up nothing. LaShawnda says that on September 29, the McDonald County Sheriff’s Office processed the home and vehicle, and searched the property with canine units. “Nothing has been found,” LaShawnda said. “The dogs didn’t hit on anything.” As the weeks pass, the Lindeman family fears the worst. “If somebody came and took them and kidnapped them, did anybody see them anywhere?” Debra wondered. “I’m sure there’s somebody out there knows something,” LaShawnda said. The Lindeman family is counting on somebody to come forward. “The ultimate goal is to bring our family home,” LaShawnda said. Leo Lindeman is 73 years old, 5’7”, and 145 lbs. Katherine Lindeman is 74 years old, 5’2”, and 150 lbs. Their small, white dog, Itty Bitty, is also missing. Anyone with information regarding Leo and Katherine Lindeman is asked to call the McDonald County Dispatch Center at 417-223-4318. If you have a story to share with Dateline, please submit it here.