The Disappearance of Leyla Mastova McCullagh

Oct 25

A Virginia Cold Case That Still Haunts Loudoun County

In August 2012, 36-year-old Leyla Mastova McCullagh vanished from her Leesburg, Virginia home — leaving behind her four-year-old child, her belongings, and a series of alarming unanswered questions. Thirteen years later, there has still been no trace of Leyla, no confirmed sightings, and no arrests.

Her disappearance is the focus of a new episode of the true crime podcast And Then They Were Gone — a show dedicated to cases of people who vanished without a trace. In this episode, host Kona Gallagher investigates Leyla’s final known movements, the disturbing domestic context surrounding her disappearance, and the evidence that points to likely foul play.

A Final Sighting — Then Total Silence

Leyla was last seen on August 13, 2012, at her Evergreen Mills Road residence in Leesburg. A family member reported that Leyla appeared to be in medical distress that evening. After that day, she was never heard from again.

That same day, Leyla’s cell phone pinged several hours south of Leesburg — before going permanently silent. Her bank accounts and credit cards have never been used since.

Friends and coworkers said Leyla would never have abandoned her child. They immediately reported her missing — not Matthew.

A Marriage Marked by Control and Fear

Four months before her disappearance, Leyla had been charged in a domestic violence incident involving her husband. But friends, coworkers, and later investigators indicated she may have actually been the victim of ongoing abuse.

She had visible bruises. She told others Matthew threatened to have her deported to Russia. She was terrified, and prior to her disappearance, they had separated.

A Gun Hidden — and a Federal Indictment

During the early investigation, detectives searched a Herndon property linked to Matthew and seized multiple firearms. While police were arriving, Matthew hid an illegal Thompson submachine gun in a vehicle — which was later recovered by investigators.

He was arrested on federal weapons charges.

He was never charged in Leyla’s disappearance.

Law enforcement, however, formally classified the case internally as a “suspected homicide.”

Over a Decade Without Answers

To this day, Leyla’s body has never been found. Her case is now in Loudoun County’s Cold Case Unit, and the Sheriff’s Office has reiterated that foul play is strongly suspected.

Listen to the Episode

Listen to the full episode now on:

→ Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music | or wherever you get your podcasts

If you know anything about the disappearance of Leyla Mastova McCullagh, please contact the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office at 703-777-0475, or submit an anonymous tip via Loudoun Crime Solvers at 703-777-1919.