The Tip That Made The Police Aware #truecrime #truecrimestories #crimejunkies | Forensic Files

So, that is what made her pick up the phone and give police the man's name. Leonard Lenny Paradiso. In January of
1982, a week before they found Joan's luggage, a woman had called police to tell them about this scary incident that
she had with a man years before. She never reported it, and admittedly, there are plenty of differences, right? Like
but when she heard about the circumstances of Joan's disappearance [music] on the news, she felt like she
needed someone to know about this thing that happened to her. Our reporter Malika Dollywall actually [music]
tracked this tipster down back in 2025 so we could hear her story firsthand. And this woman claimed that years before
Joan disappeared, [music] when she was in her 20s, she had been out at a club one night, and this guy that she knew
from her neighborhood was there. And when she was going to leave, he convinced her to give him a ride saying
that he was like sick, he needed help getting to the hospital. But once she was in the car, he told her to go
somewhere else, like somewhere out by the water. And when she realized that they weren't going to the hospital, she
pulled out a gun and tried to assault [music] her. Now, she said that she was able to talk her way out of this
situation, reminding him that people had seen them leave together. So, [music] like they knew she would be with him.
But she said this was the most terrifying moment of her life. And she just could not shake this overwhelming
sense when she saw Joan's story on the news. What if it was him? What if he wised up over the years? Went after
someone that, first of all, he wasn't as closely tied to. >> one could like confirm that he had been
with another person that night. [music] >> At a place, right? Though the airport
where so many people are coming and going, they might not remember who left with whom. And here's the real thing
that made her sure she had to call police. She'd heard rumors that the guy who pulled a gun on her was now driving
a cab around Logan Airport. Not through a company or anything, just kind of like
picking up rides unlicensed. So, that is what made her pick up the phone and give
police the man's name, Leonard Lenny Paradiso.

In January 1982, a woman called police after seeing coverage of Joan Webster’s disappearance, saying years earlier Leonard “Lenny” Paradiso had pulled a gun on her and tried to assault her.

When she heard rumors he was driving a cab near Logan Airport, she felt she had to report his name.

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Brief Summary

A woman recalls a past encounter with Leonard Paradiso, linking him to Joan's disappearance and prompting her to report him to police.

Key points

A Terrifying Encounter. A woman recounts a life-threatening experience with a man who later becomes a suspect.
A Call to Police. After hearing about Joan's disappearance, the woman felt compelled to report her past encounter.

Episode highlights

A Terrifying EncounterA woman recounts a life-threatening experience with a man who later becomes a suspect.“This was the most terrifying moment of her life.”1:19Mar 10, 2026

Episode quotes

This was the most terrifying moment of her life.

A woman recalls a harrowing experience with a man years before Joan's disappearance.

1:16WatchMar 10, 2026

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