Naman Shrestha
In CBS’ ’48 Hours: Jade Colvin Is Missing,’ the primary focus is on the mysterious and sudden disappearance of a teenage girl named Jade Marie Colvin in March 2017. It wasn’t until several years later that she was reported missing to the authorities, who then launched an extensive search for her. The investigation led them to an unlikely perpetrator, who was close to her mother and had a violent past. The documentary also features insightful and emotional interviews with Jade’s loved ones and the officials who worked hard to get to the bottom of the case.
Although Jade Marie Colvin’s Remains Haven’t Been Found, She Has Been Declared Dead
On March 16, 2002, LaDawn gave birth to Jade Marie Colvin but lost her custody and her other children because of her battle with mental health issues and substance abuse. Since Jade was still a minor, she was placed in foster care by Iowa’s Department of Health and Human Services. In the following months and years, she moved frequently, including to Dubuque and Des Moines in Iowa, Phoenix in Arizona, and Texas. According to reports, she had a habit of running away. In 2016, the teenage girl was staying with some of her relatives in Arizona when the DHS officials restored her custody to her mother.
Jade then reportedly moved to Iowa, where she was living in Des Moines. With her whole life ahead of her, the teenager suddenly went missing. As per her loved ones, she was last heard from in late March 2017. The 15-year-old girl was reported missing, but since she had a history of running away, the authorities didn’t begin investigating until 2022. The US Marshal Service and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alerted the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office about her disappearance in May 2022. Her remains are yet to be discovered.
Jade Marie Colvin’s Killer Dodged Justice For Several Years
As part of the investigation, the authorities dug deeper into Jade Marie Colvin’s past. When her mother, LaDawn, was given her custody again, she was in a live-in relationship with a man named James David Bachmurski, who allegedly helped her retrieve Jade from Arizona. According to cell phone records, Jade had been talking with James before even arriving at his rural Decorah farm, unbeknownst to her mother. She allegedly planned to distance herself from LaDawn after having an argument over school. The detectives interviewed various individuals and found out that her mother brought her to live on James’ farm in the spring of 2017. Two days later, on March 29, she went missing after she was last seen in a Decorah Walmart with James.
With suspicions mounting on James, the authorities dug deeper into his past and learned that he had pleaded guilty to first-degree harassment in 2013 and was accused of abusing his sons. After a .223 caliber Stevens rifle was found at his home in January 2018, he was charged for it because he was not allowed to possess firearms after the 2013 harassment case. The detectives learned that after Jade’s disappearance, James sold his farm and relocated to Georgia. He was charged with unlawful possession of weapons on June 20, 2024, after which he was extradited back to Iowa. Less than two months later, on August 12, he was charged with the second-degree murder of Jade Marie Colvin. Although he claimed that she had left his home and was unaware of her whereabouts, the detectives believed that he had killed her.
James David Bachmurski is Currently Incarcerated at an Iowa Prison Facility
On August 25, 2025, James David Bachmurski’s murder trial in connection with Jade Marie Colvin’s killing commenced. The prosecution told the jury that the defendant was the last person to see Jade alive and her social media became inactive just days after her arrival at his farm. The prosecutor added, “She drops off the face of the planet on March 30 of 2017 – she is gone. Jade Colvin is dead. We do not have her body, but the evidence in this case is that Jade Colvin is dead. March 30 of 2017, is when everything stops for Jade.” The defense argued that there was no evidence of any inappropriate contact from James towards Jade.
The defense attorney claimed, “He took in a young girl who didn’t have a mother, whose mother then ran off and abandoned her. He fed her, even though he didn’t have the resources to do so. He took her shopping for clothes when her clothes didn’t fit. He found fun activities for her to do with the shooting and the bonfire. He took her out to lunch of dinner at Pizza Ranch. What did he do that was so evil or unlawful toward this girl?” After about a week of trial, on September 2, 2025, the jury deliberated for nearly four hours before finding James guilty of second-degree murder. More than a month later, on October 21, he was sentenced to 50 years in prison, out of which he must serve at least 35 years before becoming eligible for parole. As of today, the 67-year-old killer is serving his sentence at Anamosa State Penitentiary in Anamosa, Iowa, with his Tentative Discharge Date scheduled for February 2067.
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