Coroner rules Nelson teen missing for seven years died as a result of suicide

One of the many wreaths laid in memory of Leo Lipp-Neighbours. Photo / Tracy Neal

Warning: This article discusses suicide and could be distressing for some people.

In the early hours of January 24, 2010 Leo Lipp-Neighbours was drinking with friends, walked from the house and was never seen again.

Seven years later, the distinctive orange car that his family, the police and wider Nelson community had been searching for, was finally found.

Today, a coroner has ruled the death of the 19-year-old, was a result of suicide, thus helping to lay to rest the long-running mystery which had gripped the town for years.

His mother Charlotte Lipp told Open Justice that as a parent, she regrets not knowing how he was feeling.

“When someone takes their own life, hindsight is a cruel thing. I just wished he was still around.”

Leo Lipp-Neighbours was last seen at about 4am on January 24, 2010 at his home address in Nelson. Photo / NZ Police

Leo Lipp-Neighbours was described as a talented young man.

He was intelligent, academically able, practical, creative, sensitive and deep-thinking, and well-loved by family and a large number of friends.

He could turn his hand to a range of projects, from computer designing to sailing, building a buggy, and sanding, repainting and reconditioning his distinctive station wagon.

Lipp-Neighbours liked to drive the Toyota fast and also enjoyed being in the mountains.

He had completed his first year studying engineering at the University of Canterbury and had returned home to Nelson for the summer break.

On the evening of January 23, 2010, having only just recently celebrated his birthday, he and his friends began drinking and socialising between home and venues in town.

The evidence was that Lipp-Neighbours had consumed a large amount of alcohol during the evening. He was last seen in the early hours of the next day.

When his friends woke up later that morning they saw Lipp-Neighbours’ car was gone from outside the address, and despite efforts to reach him, he could not be contacted.

His disappearance was reported to police that evening, and a missing person investigation began to find any trace of Lipp-Neighbours or his distinctive, customised bright orange 1987 Toyota Corolla station wagon.

There were public appeals, and a reward was offered for information leading to Lipp-Neighbours’ discovery.

The distinctive orange 1987 Toyota Corolla station wagon that belonged to Leo Lipp-Neighbours, and was the focus of a long-running search for the Nelson teen after he and the car went missing in early 2010. Photo / Supplied

Despite extensive efforts, the police weren’t able to find him.

Police said that in the years between his disappearance and the recovery of his vehicle there was public speculation, with both anonymous and notified reports to police that Lipp-Neighbours was the victim of foul play.

A $50,000 reward had been offered on Crimestoppers for information leading to the location of him and his vehicle.

Police thought it was likely the majority of reports were influenced by the reward, and that detailed investigations led them to conclude there was no evidence of any other person’s involvement, or any suspicious circumstances relating to Lipp-Neighbours’ death.

The coroner found that Leo Lipp-Neighbours died by suicide.

Charlotte Lipp urged anyone needing help to pick up the phone and contact any of the mental health help services that are available.