Remembering Leanne Knight: the untold story of Walton Goggins' first wife

Remembering Leanne Knight: the untold story of Walton Goggins' first wife

Leanne Knight was a Canadian dog trainer. She is widely known as the first wife of American actor Walton Goggins. Leanne hit the headlines in 2004 when she was found dead after falling off a building in Los Angeles. Uncover the untold story of Walton Goggins’ first wife.

Host Walton Goggins during the monologue (L).
Walton Goggins during the HBO's 'The White Lotus' FYC Screening & Panel (R).
Walton Goggins during the monologue on 10 May 2025 (L). Walton during HBO's 'The White Lotus' FYC Screening & Panel. Photo: Will Heath, Araya Doheny (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Key takeaways

  • Leanne Knight came into the limelight when she married the American actor Walton Goggins.
  • She married Walton Goggins from 2001 until 2004.
  • Leanne passed away on 19 November 2004 after she fell off a 17th-floor building.
  • She had filed for a divorce from Walton Goggins before her death.

Profile summary

Full nameLeanne Knight Goggins
GenderFemale
Date of birth1967
Date of death12 November 2004
Age of death37 years old
Place of birthNew Brunswick, Canada
NationalityCanadian
EthnicityWhite
SexualityStraight
Hair colourDark brown
Eye colourBrown
FatherRobert Brian "Bob" Knight
MotherPeggy Kaun
Siblings1
Marital status (at death)Married
SpouseWalton Goggins
ProfessionDog trainer

Leanne Knight's biography

She was born in 1967 in New Brunswick, Canada. Her parents are Robert Brian Knight and Peggy Kaun. They separated when she was young, and her mother married Arnold Kaun.

Her biological father passed away in 2016. She was raised alongside one sibling, Jay.

A look into Leanne Knight's career

She was a dog trainer. Leanne loved animals from a young age, so after pursuing pet training, she decided to make it her profession. She later started a dog walking business in the Laurel Canyon neighbourhood in Hollywood Hills. It grew big in the region, attracting patrons including Liberty.

When did Walton Goggins and Leanne Knight meet?

The famous actor met Leanne in 2000. The two started dating and got married in 2001. The marriage took place when Walton had finished shooting Shanghai Noon.

After they got married, she moved to Los Angeles to live with Walton. However, the couple separated after three years of their marriage.

What happened to Walton Goggins' first wife?

Walton Goggins during the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones
Walton Goggins during the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on 2 March 2025. Photo: Jamie McCarthy
Source: Getty Images

Leanne Knight went missing after she and the actor got separated. On 12 November 2004, Leanne succumbed to injuries sustained from falling off a 17th-floor building in Los Angeles, California.

She was discovered around 4.00 pm, and it was believed that she had taken her own life by jumping off the building.

Her death occurred after she had reportedly given Walton divorce papers. It was later discovered that she was struggling with chronic depression.

Leanne Goggins’ burial

Her memorial service took place on 19 November 2004 at Hollywood Funeral Home, 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard. As per Find a Grave, she was laid to rest at the Rocky View Garden of Peace Cemetery in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

According to Amomama, Walton Goggins revealed in an interview how the death of his first wife affected him. He travelled to Thailand, Vietnam, India, and Cambodia as a way of coping with the loss of his first wife. It took him years to come back from his grief.

I spent the next three years looking for an excuse not to end it, but certainly putting myself in situations that were questionable, not with drugs or anything like that, just life experiences and travelling. I really went all over the world.
Walton Goggins during the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style"
Walton Goggins during the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" at Metropolitan Museum of Art on 5 May 2025 in New York City. Photo: Jamie McCarthy
Source: Getty Images

He said in an interview that it took him time to come back from his grief. His friends and family stepped in with comforting words, and he said that without them, he wouldn’t know what would have happened.

I drifted for upwards of three years after that. It took me a really long time to come back from it. If it weren't for the people in my life that cared about me, that stepped in and helped me understand that life goes on, I don't know what would have happened.

As per Soap Central, the actor opened up about his tragic loss in an interview with GQ. He said that his visit to Thailand during the filming of The White Lotus brought back sad memories of his wife’s death.

It caused an emotional impact because Thailand was one of the places he travelled to when his first wife passed away.

The first island we were staying on. I realised, ‘I’ve been on this road before’. And then the next island we went to, I realised, ‘I’ve definitely been on this beach before. I know this boardwalk.’ And all the things kept coming back. That's where I was the very first day I came here, 20 years ago, and in so much… pain, man. That's where we were filming, man.

Who is Goggins married to now?

Nadia Conner and Walton Goggins from 'The Uninvited' pose for a portrait
Nadia Conner and Walton Goggins from 'The Uninvited' pose for a portrait on 10 March 2024 at SxSW in Austin, Texas. Photo: Robby Klein
Source: Getty Images

The American actor is married to Nadia Conners, a film director known for films such as The Uninvited and The 11th Hour. They tied the knot in August 2011, and they have a son, Augustus.

FAQs

  1. Who is Leanne Knight? She was a dog trainer from Canada who came into the limelight as Walton Goggins’ first wife.
  2. When did Leanne Knight go missing? She went missing in 2004 after separating from Walton Goggins.
  3. How old was Leanne Knight when she died? She was 37 years old when she passed away. Leanne was born in 1967 and died on 12 November 2004.
  4. How long was Walton Goggins married to Leanne Knight? The two were married for three years.
  5. Who are Leanne Knight’s parents? Her parents are Robert Brian "Bob" Knight and Peggy Kaun.
  6. Did Walton Goggins remarry after Leanne Knight’s death? He married Nadia Conners in 2011.

Leanne Knight was a dog trainer who became famous following her marriage to the American actor Walton Goggins. The two got married in 2001, but their marriage was ended after three years. Leanne passed away in 2004 after filing for a divorce from Walton.

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Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Brian Oroo avatar

Brian Oroo (Lifestyle writer) Brian has worked as a writer at Legit.ng since 2021. He specialises in lifestyle, celebrity, and news content. He won the Writer of the Year Award at Legit in both 2023 and 2024. Brian holds a BSc in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), earned in 2021. He completed the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques in 2023 and the Google News Initiative course in 2024. His email is brianoroo533@gmail.com

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