Cheryl Nablo, a mom of three, is a detective with the Des Moines, Iowa police division. She focuses on discovering lacking children.
Det. Cheryl Nablo: I actually have considered Jade a number of occasions when not at work.
Det. Cheryl Nablo: I consider my very own youngsters. … if you happen to went a day not figuring out the place certainly one of your children … was at … you’d go loopy. … no one needs to be dwelling in a world the place they do not know the place their child is … or if their children’ secure.
Jade Colvin is lacking
In 2022, Nablo joined forces with Deputy U.S. Marshal Justin Wallace, Detective Chris Wuebker and Particular Agent Jon Turbett within the seek for Jade Colvin. Jade was 14 when she was reported lacking in June 2016 after she ran away from a neighborhood shelter for troubled youth.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Justin Wallace: We’re right here to find children who run away.
Jade Colvin/Instagram
The U.S. Marshals Service had adopted Jade’s case as a part of a statewide effort to search out lacking youngsters referred to as Operation Homecoming.
Natalie Morales: What are the challenges … find lacking youngsters?
Det. Cheryl Nablo: … when any individual goes lacking, they wish to be lacking. They do not need you to know the place they’re … it is onerous to trace ’em down.
At that time Jade had been lacking for greater than 5 years.
Natalie Morales: The place do you start?
Deputy U.S. Marshal Justin Wallace: You gotta begin originally. … you gotta know who the particular person is, their mates, their household, their entire background.
They usually quickly found Jade had a troubled childhood.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Justin Wallace: Jade … had a tough go of it rising up.
Det. Cheryl Nablo: … issues weren’t the best for her.
Detective Nablo discovered Jade’s mom LaDawn, had died three years after Jade went lacking.
Det. Cheryl Nablo: So I could not simply attain out to her and discuss to her … about all the pieces that she knew about Jade.
Jade’s father, Kevin, had misplaced contact together with his daughter. Each dad and mom had struggled with substance abuse, one thing Particular Agent Jon Turbett explains had an influence on Jade.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: Jade Colvin grew up with a … I feel a fairly dysfunctional household scenario. It was troublesome.
Dainlynn Greer: She did not maintain any of it. … She simply accepted it for like what it was and handled it and did not let it get to her negatively.
Dainlynn Greer: Liked her to demise, spent each day collectively.
Regardless of all the pieces, pal Dainlynn Greer and her mom Jamee Koopman describe Jade as simple going and upbeat.
Sky Webster
Jamee Koopman: There was causes she may have been indignant, and she or he wasn’t. Like, she was very mild —
Dainlynn Greer: Yeah.
Jamee Koopman: — mild and bubbly.
Jamee Koopman: I met her mother … her mother was very unreliable. … she stored telling me, oh, how a lot she loves Jade and … all that, you recognize, and I consider she did, do not get me flawed.
Jamee Koopman: However she simply could not make the selection for stability. .. she could not … overcome her personal demons.
Det. Chris Wuebker: Her mother undoubtedly cared about her.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Justin Wallace: I feel her mom beloved her. … the state decided sooner or later that she was … not capable of look after her.
In September 2015, when Jade was 13, the Iowa Division of Human Companies stepped in and Deputy Justin Wallace says LaDawn misplaced custody.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Justin Wallace: That is once they took Jade into foster care.
For the following 9 months, Jade was out and in of various amenities and foster care. And he or she typically ran away.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Justin Wallace: … run away, been discovered, run away, been discovered a number of occasions.
Det. Cheryl Nablo: Jade is … doing what another children do. She’s operating away from the system. She’s not eager to be positioned in a stranger’s dwelling.
When Jade was positioned in foster care, LaDawn would have restricted entry to her. And he or she needed extra.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Justin Wallace: She needed Jade to reside together with her.
LaDawn Colvin’s Fb
However with out authorized custody, Jamee Koopman says LaDawn resorted to making an attempt to cover her daughter from authorities.
Jamee Koopman: I feel she was simply making an attempt to cover out to stick with her mother or to remain the place her mother may go to.
Det. Cheryl Nablo: Her mother tried to … preserve her out of the police highlight, simply making an attempt to cover her out completely different locations.
And based on her aunt, Tandra Brus, Jade turned good at hiding.
Tandra Brus: She would change her hair, she would change … her look …
Natalie Morales: So she actually knew learn how to run away and conceal.
Tandra Brus: She did. She actually did.
At that time Jade was caught in the course of a mom making an attempt to do her finest, who organized stays with family and friends, and being positioned in foster care, however typically dwelling as a runaway.
Tandra Brus: I felt so unhealthy. … I felt horrible.
Natalie Morales: Did you inform her, you’ll be able to come right here anytime?
Tandra Brus: I did.
Natalie Morales: Name me. No matter you want.
Tandra Brus: I did. … name me and I will be right here for you.
Jamee Koopman: She was leaping throughout for some time … so it was onerous to trace her.
The Iowa Division of Human Companies misplaced observe of Jade after she ran away from that shelter in June 2016.
Tandra Brus: I had hope that she was on the market someplace and she or he would come up with any individual finally.
Jamee Koopman: After which … there was nothing.
Investigators discovered Jade’s household and mates spent years trying to find her on-line.
Det. Chris Wuebker: We noticed in … social media accounts that … family and friends … had been making an attempt to achieve out to her and continued to search for her.
Det. Cheryl Nablo: Everyone’s reaching out to her at her birthday saying, we love you. We miss you. … We simply need you again dwelling.
Jamee Koopman: Yearly, I would go on Fb, “Glad birthday, Jade, please name me.”
Jamee Koopman: We nonetheless love her. You recognize, anytime she needs to return dwelling … it does not matter what sort of hassle you bought your self into … I believed she’d pop again up.
Jamee Koopman: We simply needed her to know like we had been there for her.
In line with Wallace, Jade’s mom LaDawn additionally posted.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Justin Wallace: She misses her and needs her to return again.
LaDawn Colvin’s Fb
Posts like this one from September 2018:
“It is hurting all of us a lot…” “Please name somebody Jade … I am critically bodily dying of a damaged coronary heart.”
Deputy U.S. Marshal Justin Wallace: There was no response to any of these.
And when Jade’s mom died a yr later, there was nonetheless no response.
Det. Chris Wuebker: LaDawn handed away. She by no means got here to the funeral. … She by no means confirmed up on the funeral. She would’ve been there.
Jade’s household and mates nonetheless held hope Jade would floor when she turned 18 — and can be freed from foster care.
Jamee Koopman: I had hoped that she had run away and was laying low and we thought when she turned 18, when it was secure, she would get ahold of us once more. And when her 18th birthday got here round and she or he did not get ahold of us, we knew … we knew one thing was very flawed.
As Nablo and Wallace labored to search out Jade, they received assist from state and nationwide organizations that shared lacking posters on social media.
Det. Cheryl Nablo: That was big. … that is when plenty of suggestions began coming in.
And there can be a possible break within the investigation — a tip from a hospital employee in Minnesota.
Det. Cheryl Nablo: We’re not too distant from Iowa. There’s this woman …. we predict perhaps that is Jade.
Following Jade Colvin’s digital path
Det. Cheryl Nablo: We needed to chase each single lead, each single tip so far as we may.
And when Des Moines PD Detective Cheryl Nablo received a tip Jade Colvin might need been in a hospital in Pink Wing, Minnesota, she was hopeful.
Det. Cheryl Nablo: A employees member had noticed a feminine come into the hospital and … the individual that she was with was form of controlling the dialog … it drew suspicion … and so they thought it perhaps regarded like Jade. So there was follow-up performed to … get the video footage, to attempt to determine who that particular person was. … when you will have a lead, you’re employed your lead till you both show it is Jade or show it is false. … And in the end, I used to be capable of establish who that particular person was and … it was not Jade.
Further suggestions poured in from all around the nation.
Det. Cheryl Nablo: You recognize, starting from Massachusetts to Oklahoma, to Texas … folks had been undoubtedly paying consideration.
Natalie Morales: Take a look at that. … are these all of the leads that you simply explored and the other ways you went concerning the investigation?
Det. Cheryl Nablo (holding binder): Yeah, it is plenty of leads …
Det. Cheryl Nablo: It felt like every tip was hope, proper? ‘Trigger, like. she may have been on the market.
The primary massive break within the case got here when Nablo was in a position to determine the place Jade had gone after she ran away from that shelter in June 2016. Detective Nablo had obtained search warrants and received entry to Jade’s social media. Instagram messages from March 2017 caught her consideration.
Det. Cheryl Nablo: You’ll be able to see the place … her mother is … coming to get her in Arizona.
“I simply talked to mother …” Jade wrote to her pal Dainlynn “… she’s coming subsequent week.”
“I am in AZ proper now” Jade wrote to a different pal. “I needs to be again in Iowa immediately or tomorrow.”
Nablo discovered Jade had been staying in Arizona for a number of months, and it appeared LaDawn was going to carry her again to Iowa. Nablo additionally received entry to LaDawn’s accounts, and on her Fb there was a message mentioning the city of Decorah.
Det. Cheryl Nablo: Decorah is only a small, rural Midwest Iowa city.
As Nablo combed by way of LaDawn’s Fb, she noticed messages LaDawn had despatched to Jade and uncovered a clue: a point out of somebody named James.
Investigators discovered “James” was James Bachmurski Sr. — a person LaDawn had been courting for a number of months.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Justin Wallace: LaDawn and him met on-line. … they started a romantic relationship. … LaDawn would go and stick with him often. … I feel one level was dwelling with him.
Iowa Division of Legal Investigation/LaDawn Colvin’s Fb
Deputy Justin Wallace discovered James Bachmurski owned a farm in Decorah, Iowa and had two sons, Bryan, 19, and James Jr., 21. Investigators gained entry to voice messages LaDawn had despatched Jade detailing a plan for her daughter to remain on the farm whereas she lived three hours away, coping with some authorized points.
LADAWN COLVIN | Voice message to Jade: You are going to reside right here till you might be in all probability 18 and capable of get out of the system, if I do not already have you ever out of the system …
… and you will have life child. It is what I would like. I like you.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Justin Wallace: It was only a momentary … I am gonna get proper with the court docket after which Jade can come reside with me.
Natalie Morales: How massive a lead is that? … are you pondering we have got a break on this case?
Det. Cheryl Nablo: Yeah, it was big. … I bear in mind … going over to the U.S. Marshals’ Workplace and … they had been excited.
The Marshals reached out to native legislation enforcement close to the Bachmurski farm for assist speaking to the household. And that is when Detective Chris Wuebker from the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Workplace formally joined the workforce.
Natalie Morales (ridealong with Det. Wuebker): To start with, Decorah. I imply, the place — the place are we? What’s —
Det. Chris Wuebker: So —
Natalie Morales: — what is that this city recognized for?
Det. Chris Wuebker: God’s Nation. (laughs) …
Natalie Morales: It’s God’s Nation.
Det. Chris Wuebker: … it is in northeast Iowa, form of method up within the high nook. …
Natalie Morales: So, inform me about getting the decision to first, you recognize begin the investigation into this younger lacking woman, Jade Colvin. Who referred to as you?
Det. Chris Wuebker: So, we, uh, we obtained a name from the U.S. Marshals and … they reached out to us and mentioned, hey … Do you guys know the Bachmurskis? Are you able to guys assist us, uh, go and discuss to them? And so, that is in the end what we — the place we began.
Det. Chris Wuebker: The objective was to speak to them and say, hey look, we’re searching for this lacking woman. … her identify is Jade Colvin. And … your names had been introduced up in social media. What are you able to inform us about her?
They discovered Bryan Bachmurski first. In line with Detective Wuebker, Bryan confirmed Jade had been on the farm. Her mom dropped her off and left. A couple of days after she arrived, Bryan and Jade had lunch at a Pizza Ranch and took a number of pictures collectively.
Natalie Morales (at Pizza Ranch): So proper right here this sales space. …
Det. Chris Wuebker: Yep.
Det. Chris Wuebker: I imply, you have a look at this photograph —
Natalie Morales: Yeah.
Det. Chris Wuebker:– and … you see, you recognize, she has a real smile.
CBS Information/Iowa Division of Legal Investigation
Natalie Morales: And it looks as if they’re, you recognize, form of goofy face, like —
Det. Chris Wuebker: Yeah.
Natalie Morales: — having enjoyable with one another. They received alongside.
Det. Chris Wuebker: Teenage — teenage children and — and all the pieces and yeah, completely.
Bryan instructed investigators he did not know what occurred to Jade. He mentioned the final time he noticed her was two days after their lunch at Pizza Ranch, round 10 p.m., earlier than, he mentioned, he labored the nightshift at Walmart. Bryan claimed he texted with Jade till simply after midnight when she all of a sudden stopped responding. Deputy Wallace wasn’t satisfied by Bryan’s story.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Justin Wallace: There have been a number of of us thought that we in all probability weren’t getting all the data out of him.
That included Detective Wuebker.
Det. Chris Wuebker: There’s one thing that does not really feel proper about this as to what is going on on.
And there was one thing else that troubled Wuebker.
Det. Chris Wuebker: That was the final time that she ever … had any from Fb, from Instagram, from Snapchat … She by no means had one other digital footprint once more.
Natalie Morales: And for a teenage woman, how uncommon is that?
Det. Chris Wuebker: Extraordinarily uncommon.
How may Jade seemingly disappear and not using a hint? In line with Deputy Wallace, LaDawn thought it was uncommon, too … and she or he went to the farm to confront James.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Justin Wallace: We had been capable of interview one of many mates … who mentioned … she drove LaDawn out to the farm in Decorah. … the pal stayed within the automobile whereas LaDawn went inside the home to speak to James Bachmurski.
LaDawn’s pal instructed the Marshals Bachmurski claimed Jade ran away. Suspecting there was extra to the story, Chris Wuebker referred to as Particular Agent Jon Turbett from the Iowa Division of Legal Investigation and requested him for assist.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: Chris laid out what we knew … what the Marshals had been capable of unearth. And … as I am sitting there listening … I mentioned, it’s extremely possible that Jade is not alive, and we truly must … begin treating this as a murder investigation.
Outdated cellphone reveals vital clues
Natalie Morales (at farm entrance): So this right here is the farm.
Det. Chris Wuebker: Yup. … So that is the — the place Bachmurskis lived.
CBS Information
Having established Jade was at this farm in Decorah Iowa in March 2017, Det. Chris Wuebker hoped new leads could possibly be developed to resolve the thriller of what occurred to her.
Natalie Morales: This farm actually is on the finish of the street right here.
Det. Chris Wuebker: It’s. … the home on the finish of the street.
Natalie Morales: Home on the finish of the street.
Det. Chris Wuebker: You’ll be able to see how secluded it’s.
Natalie Morales: It is a younger woman who has a historical past of operating away … Once you get out right here is it attainable she — do you assume she may have run away …
Det. Chris Wuebker: Our proof confirmed that she did not. …
Natalie Morales: And if you happen to had been to run away from right here, I imply, there may be simply farmland and empty area.
Det. Chris Wuebker: … I imply course, uh … you are not from right here. I wager you — the — which method had been we dealing with proper now. I imply … She’s not gonna know the place she’s at.
When investigators first visited the farm in 2022, James Bachmurski Sr. not lived right here, and the home had been gutted and renovated, however the brand new house owners allow them to go searching.
Det. Chris Wuebker: We tried …to search out something we may within the space. And in the end we did not.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: You’ve gotten this farm the place we all know Jade is final seen. … So we draw a field across the farm and we are saying, who’s dwelling within the farm, who’re the friends on the farm … definitely the proprietor of the property … the one who’s having contact with LaDawn and Jade … is James Bachmurski Sr. … After which you will have these two sons, James Jr. and … Bryan.
Iowa Division of Legal Investigation/Iowa Division of Corrections/Bryan Bachmurski’s Fb
Having already talked to Bryan, detectives had been keen to achieve James Jr. Seems he had an alibi — he wasn’t dwelling within the space on the time and was by no means on the farm with Jade. In order that left James Bachmurski Sr. to be interviewed.
Det. Chris Wuebker: We had recognized, from that preliminary contact with the youngsters … that … Bachmurski had moved away and he was in Georgia.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett made the journey.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: We situated the home and it was … Out in the course of nowhere.
Natalie Morales: What is the mindset going into an interview and first interplay with any individual like him?
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: … I feel, regardless of what lots of people assume… I’m actually making an attempt to …take off the — the — the police hat and plenty of the — the issues that include that.
Natalie Morales: Mm-hmm.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: And I want to take a seat down with James and I must be Jon and he must be James. And might we now have dialog about this younger woman that he clearly had out on his property and has by no means been seen.
When Turbett knocked on the door, James Bachmurski Sr. agreed to speak. These are excerpts of the audio interview.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: I feel one of many first issues out of his mouth, if not the primary was —
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR. (audio interview): Variety of years in the past, one thing occurred in Iowa, and it is affected my life perpetually.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: I’ve knocked on doorways so much in my profession, and that may be on the, you recognize, that may be an outlier for — for opening remarks.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: You are like, OK, is he pondering of one thing that, you recognize, I am not? … I am making it clear, I am speaking about Jade, and he continues.
Natalie Morales: OK. I’ve that clip. I am gonna play for you …
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR. (interview audio): Have you learnt what I feel?
SPECIAL AGENT TURBETT: What?
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR.: We gotta discover solutions.
SPECIAL AGENT TURBETT: Yeah. I agree with that …
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR.: Alls I wanna do is to go to my grave to know that my children had nothing to do with what was occurring.
SPECIAL AGENT TURBETT: Yeah. Yeah. I —
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR.: I do not know in the event that they do …
Natalie Morales: It is attention-grabbing. He mentioned, I do not wanna implicate my children.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: Sure.
Natalie Morales: However in so doing, is he implicating his children?
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: Nicely, it — it appeared prefer it. …So he instantly is speaking about somebody being implicated, which says, in my thoughts, he thinks against the law was dedicated. Now it is a query of, was it me, was it my boys?
James Bachmurski Sr. confirmed he was in a relationship with LaDawn and that she introduced Jade to his farm to cover her and preserve her from being put in foster care.
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR. (audio interview): You recognize what I believed was gonna occur?
SPECIAL AGENT TURBETT: What?
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR.: To be trustworthy? I believed we had been gonna be a fam — household.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: He admits that there is a plan to carry Jade again, you recognize, to Iowa. … he is saying this lady was making an attempt to reunite together with her daughter and — and get to a — a brand new life.
Natalie Morales: Did he say, when … in that interview he final noticed Jade?
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: Yeah.
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR. (audio interview): To my information, she was on the point of do a bunch of laundry and I needed to go to Norby’s for one thing.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: Norby’s, which is sort of a Farm and Fleet retailer. And the following factor I do know … she’d vanished out of skinny air.
James Bachmurski Sr. talked for a number of hours that day, however after the interview Turbett and Wuebker had been nonetheless no nearer to discovering out what occurred to Jade. They questioned if there have been any extra clues to be found again on the farm.
Det. Chris Wuebker: When he received again, we got here up with the plan of … what else can we discover? And … that is once we got here throughout a neighbor … that mentioned … “hey, by the way in which, I’ve this barn, uh, that James Bachmurski property is left in. In 2018, he was- – left in an actual hurry and left all of his stuff behind.” And so we’re like, “oh, actually?” … And so we … went there and — and located this dusty, previous telephone in a field.
It was James Bachmurski Sr.’s cellphone.
Natalie Morales: It is a actual discover. I imply … if you happen to’re searching for a smoking gun, you are getting a cellphone as a substitute …
Det. Chris Wuebker: … this was one thing that … was … unbelievable to return throughout.
Iowa Division of Legal Investigation
On the telephone they discovered pictures of Jade on the farm. There’s one together with her mom LaDawn when she dropped Jade off and left, and one from the day after Bryan and Jade had lunch at Pizza Ranch – of them at a bonfire.
Det. Chris Wuebker: There was a lot of pictures … with them at that bonfire, roasting scorching canines and stuff like that.
They’re the final recognized pictures of Jade. On Bachmurski Sr.’s telephone there have been additionally textual content messages Jade had despatched together with those Bryan had talked about when he mentioned he labored the nightshift at Walmart … the identical night time Jade was final heard from.
Det. Chris Wuebker: These final textual content conversations … had been … monumental in my view.
Natalie Morales: So, let’s undergo these somewhat bit. …
Natalie Morales: Right here it’s Jade reaching out to him round after somewhat after midnight.
Det. Chris Wuebker: And it says, “Hey Bryan, it is Jadeee”. And I at all times love this as a result of, uh, you recognize the everyday teenager saying Jadeee, you recognize. …
Natalie Morales: She’s simply checking in with him. “Is it going okay?” “Drained but?” [12:03 a.m.]
Det. Chris Wuebker: Yeah. Simply you recognize, simply the everyday dialog …
Natalie Morales: And he or she’s like, “If you wish to name in your hour break we nonetheless can if you would like” [12:13 a.m.]… So that they’re planning for his break like with him —
Det. Chris Wuebker: Yep. … in the end planning to speak once more that night time on March thirtieth.
Natalie Morales: OK. … After which he is like, “Nicely, ig simply textual content me when you’ll be able to”. That is two o’clock, already 2:03. He is on his break.
Det. Chris Wuebker: Yep. …and absolutely anticipating that Jade’s gonna be texting —
Natalie Morales: Mm-hmm.
Det. Chris Wuebker: — and does not get something.
These textual content messages, together with Bryan’s timesheets from Walmart, helped affirm his story and cleared him.
Det. Chris Wuebker: … we’re capable of corroborate issues he is telling us.
Det. Chris Wuebker: We … form of took him off of the desk.
As Wuebker and Turbett continued to go looking by way of info from Bachmurski Sr.’s telephone, they are saying they made an vital discovery: a number of deleted messages.
Det. Chris Wuebker: These had been … largely … household … that was reaching out to search out Jade, to speak to Jade.
Together with messages from LaDawn who sounds determined to achieve her daughter: “Please let my babygirl know I like her and wish to speak to her.”
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: He is selectively eradicating what we might think about proof or — or useful info.
Natalie Morales: Suspicious conduct then.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: I’d assume so.
However it might be two seemingly random pictures discovered on Bachmurski Sr.’s cellphone that modified the course of the investigation — certainly one of his kitchen and certainly one of his bed room – taken simply two days after Jade had that final textual content alternate with Bryan.
Iowa Division of Legal Investigation
Natalie Morales: Describe for me what you see right here. … That is from the timeframe of April 1st, 2017.
Det. Chris Wuebker (referencing photograph proven above): So this can be a — an image of the Bachmurski kitchen. … this can be a very distinctive image the place all the pieces is cleaned up. All the pieces is organized. … there isn’t any rubbish laying round … It is clear …
Was it against the law scene?
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: And as we discuss to folks, Bryan included, he talks concerning the situation of this home, uh, when he had lived there and been there. He doesn’t say that they had been good housekeepers. … it was — it was not good. So to see photos like this, that is method out of what legislation enforcement knew. That is method out of description.
Iowa Division of Legal Investigation
And in one other photograph on the telephone — taken two months afterward June 5, 2017 — of Bryan and James Jr. in that very same bed room, investigators say it appeared the mattress was new; that the mattress within the earlier photograph had been eliminated and changed.
Det. Chris Wuebker: The … mattress is smaller … there isn’t any headboard anymore … And you may see the situation of the room is again to messy …
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: You are pondering, you recognize, proof has been cleaned up … we at the moment are all of those items and it appears plain.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: it’s time to inform him that … case details present us that you simply had been concerned within the demise of Jade Colvin.
Extra questions for James Bachmurski Sr.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: The extra time we spend on this investigation, the case details simply continued to all level in a single course and at one particular person. …
Natalie Morales: And that one particular person was James Bachmurski.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: Was James Bachmurski Sr.
Greater than two years into the investigation to search out Jade Colvin, Particular Agent Jon Turbett believes he is aware of what occurred to her.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: I believed James Bachmurski had killed and disposed of Jade’s physique.
Now he wanted to show his principle. Armed with the pictures from the cellphone, he went again to Georgia.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: The second interview goes to be completely different than the primary. … I truly opened with, “Hello James … I am Jon from Iowa. … Do you bear in mind me?”
SPECIAL AGENT TURBETT (interview 2 audio): How are you, buddy? Bear in mind me?
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR.: No.
SPECIAL AGENT TURBETT: I am Jon. I am the officer from Iowa that talked to you about 5 months in the past. We sat proper in at your kitchen desk.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: And he is like, no. … And I am like, okay. So that may, clearly, one thing can be actually flawed if a human being couldn’t keep in mind that.
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR. (interview 2 audio): … I am not even gonna lie, I am not even near being sober …
Natalie Morales: He tells you that he is drunk … He can not seem to bear in mind issues. Did you consider him?
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: I did not. … if you happen to recall in that first interview, his stage of element was unbelievable … After which we get again and it is like, he does not know me for starters, he cannot place LaDawn or Jade … And that every one appears remarkably unbelievable.
Turbett pressed on. And he requested Bachmurski about these pictures from his telephone.
SPECIAL AGENT TURBETT (interview 2 audio): … a pair days after this little woman’s by no means seen or heard from once more, ever. That is your bed room … So, you cleaned your bed room. Nice job. See how clear that’s?
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR.: No.
SPECIAL AGENT TURBETT: … The flooring are shiny. You see that? …
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR.: So, I assume you are pondering that there was proof there that I attempted to eliminate —
SPECIAL AGENT TURBETT: Nicely I —
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR.: — is what you are saying?
SPECIAL AGENT TURBETT: No.
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR.: And I’m telling you proper now, I will assure you there is not.
Natalie Morales: Assure you there is not. What are you pondering once you hear that?
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: Nicely, I imply, as you hearken to that clip … he says … nicely, you need to assume I’ve, you recognize, hidden proof or destroyed proof. … and I am like, nicely, it is getting onerous for me to achieve every other conclusion at that time.
In line with Turbett, Bachmurski Sr. had a proof for why he took these pictures.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: He floats the thought of, hey, I used to be gonna promote or lease the property. … However I do not assume that was ever confirmed to be the case.
SPECIAL AGENT TURBETT (interview 2 audio): The reality is sweet, we might agree, proper?
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR.: The reality is. However I do not know what you need.
SPECIAL AGENT TURBETT: Simply the reality.
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR.: And what’s the reality? ‘Trigger I do not know what it’s. What’s it?
SPECIAL AGENT TURBETT: The reality is the place Jade ended up.
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR.: All proper. The place?
SPECIAL AGENT TURBETT: Come on, I am — I am gonna ask you that query.
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR.: And I am asking you, as a result of I do not know.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: I am pleading with him to only discuss concerning the reality, and he is admitting the reality is sweet. However … we’re not fairly having a truthful dialog.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: At that time, it’s time to inform him that based mostly on all the pieces … the case details present us that you simply had been concerned within the demise of Jade Colvin. And it is a vital second.
Natalie Morales: Alright. Let’s hearken to … you are saying that to him …
Iowa Division of Legal Investigation
SPECIAL AGENT TURBETT: … at this level, is that the case details present us you had been concerned in Jade’s, you recognize, Jade’s demise. You do know the place Jade’s at.
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR.: Useless?
SPECIAL AGENT TURBETT: Yeah. I instructed you final time she —
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR.: Yeah. You retain saying demise.
SPECIAL AGENT TURBETT: She’s lifeless. She’s lifeless.
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR.: Why do you say that?
SPECIAL AGENT TURBETT: She’s lifeless …
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: I feel James Bachmurski simply needed to know, had we in some way pieced this all collectively.
Iowa Division of Legal Investigation
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR. (interview 2 audio): You recognize what?
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR.: I already —
SPECIAL AGENT TURBETT: We should always discuss that.
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR.: … a very long time in the past, figured, I would go to grave earlier than I inform the reality.
SPECIAL AGENT TURBETT: About this?
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR.: Sure.
Natalie Morales: I would go to the grave earlier than I would — I discuss this.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: Sure.
Natalie Morales: Did you’re taking that as a confession?
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: Uh, that is about as shut as you would in all probability get.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: On the finish of that interview, any doubt I had, if there was any, had been eliminated. …
Natalie Morales: You’ve got received the proper man?
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: We have got the proper man.
In August 2024, James Bachmurski was charged with homicide within the second diploma.
Tandra Brus: My coronary heart simply dropped.
Eight years after Jade was reported lacking, her family and friends, together with her aunt, Tandra Brus, lastly discovered {the teenager} they cared a lot about, was by no means coming again.
Tandra Brus: You simply do not wanna consider it … it harm me so unhealthy.
Natalie Morales: That she’s gone.
Tandra Brus: Yeah. That she’s gone.
Assistant Iowa Legal professional Normal Scott Brown felt the proof towards James Bachmurski Sr. was robust.
Scott Brown: Jade was at … James Bachmurski’s residence … he was the final particular person to have seen Jade … alive.
He had these cellphone pictures of James Bachmurski Sr.’s clear kitchen and bed room, and the deleted messages from Jade’s household.
Scott Brown: … communications like the place LaDawn is searching for Jade.
And, he had James Bachmurski Sr.’s personal phrases.
JAMES BACHMURSKI SR. (interview 2 audio): … a very long time in the past, figured, I would go to grave earlier than I inform the reality.
Scott Brown: Why would you make that assertion if you happen to had nothing to do with Jade Colvin’s demise?
However what Scott Brown did not have was Jade’s physique.
Scott Brown: Jade Colvin has by no means been recovered. … her physique was by no means discovered.
Scott Brown: Normally … there’s a physique. … So … a jury would have a look at that and say, OK, clearly against the law has been dedicated. … However right here we now have to show {that a} crime was dedicated, that Jade is lacking, and that … she did not go away … on her personal.
And with the case about to go on trial, wouldn’t it be sufficient to persuade a jury of Bachmurski’s guilt?
Scott Brown: How will we make that … Not solely make sense however make sense past an inexpensive doubt. … is it sufficient? … definitely that was a priority right here.
In search of justice for Jade Colvin
For greater than three years, Deputy U.S. Marshal Justin Wallace says a devoted and passionate group labored tirelessly to try to discover out what occurred to Jade.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Justin Wallace: There have been so many individuals that had been concerned on this, … all of us put in plenty of work, plenty of time, plenty of effort.
That workforce included Detective Cheryl Nablo, Detective Chris Wuebker and Particular Agent Jon Turbett.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: There was by no means a doubt … that we had the proper particular person.
The homicide trial towards James Bachmurski Sr., now grey-haired, started in August 2025. Prosecutor Scott Brown explains out how Bachmurski’s actions after he claimed Jade had run away pointed to his guilt.
Scott Brown: Why is not he calling legislation enforcement? … Hey, there was this woman that was … staying at my place and now folks cannot discover her. … Why would not he try this?
The protection argued there was no proof Jade Colvin was lifeless or that Bachmurski had killed her. There was no DNA, they mentioned, no homicide weapon, and no damning Google searches. However there was Jade’s historical past of operating away. Brown says that is irrelevant.
Scott Brown: She did have a historical past of operating away … However … she at all times resurfaced. … she at all times stayed on her cellphone. … why would she cease utilizing her cellphone? That was a giant hurdle for them …
Particular Agent Jon Turbett and Detective Chris Wuebker say all through the weeklong trial Bachmurski – who didn’t testify – confirmed little emotion.
The Decorah Chief
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: He appeared … emotionally indifferent. …
Det. Chris Wuebker: … he simply … tried to remain stoic.
And there was info the jury would not hear. James Bachmurski Sr. had a legal historical past, together with a previous cost for harassment, and in 2013 Bachmurski spent almost a yr behind bars after being charged with little one endangerment — towards his personal youngsters — and took a plea to a lesser offense of assault. Deputy Justin Wallace described a few of the violence as alleged in court docket paperwork.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Justin Wallace: He had a steel chair with a battery hooked as much as it. And when the, uh, boys misbehaved, he put ’em within the chair, which primarily shocked them.
Natalie Morales: Oh my gosh. I imply, once you hear that, are you already pondering the worst of what he may have performed to Jade?
Deputy U.S. Marshal Justin Wallace: It undoubtedly does creep to the forefront of your thoughts.
Deputy Wallace believes LaDawn did not find out about his historical past of violence.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Justin Wallace: She in all probability didn’t have any concept of who he really was.
That is one thing Jamee Koopman believes as nicely.
Jamee Koopman: I do know LaDawn wouldn’t have taken Jade someplace that she thought this of all issues would occur.
As for a motive for why Bachmurski would kill Jade Colvin?
Scott Brown: … there was some proof that we had that he was … interested in Jade. … he took all these pictures of her.
When the jury started deliberations, Scott Brown was assured within the case he introduced.
Scott Brown: Inside a number of hours. … “we, the jury, discover the defendant responsible of homicide within the second diploma.”
James Bachmurski Sr. was sentenced to 50 years in jail. Contemplating he is 67 years previous, it’s primarily a life sentence. Jade’s Aunt Tandra Brus was relieved.
Natalie Morales: And once you heard the decision … what did you assume?
Tandra Brus: I believed lastly justice has been performed.
Det. Cheryl Nablo: I used to be tremendous grateful that the household was capable of … get that final result within the case. … it makes all of it price it. … this was about justice for Jade.
Det. Chris Wuebker: Trying again on it – it kinda appears … fairly wonderful the way it got here collectively.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: Everyone simply stored their head down and stored going. …
Natalie Morales: I feel it — it offers lots of people hope … that there are people who find themselves as … passionate and dedicated because the workforce that went into looking for out what occurred to Jade Colvin.
Particular Agent Jon Turbett: Yeah. … This was very particular for us, however — however there are plenty of — of cops on the market doing the very same factor.
Jason Nolte
However everybody concerned believes the case just isn’t over but.
Det. Chris Wuebker: My hope is to get Jade sometime … this is not one which’s gonna cease for — for me. … all of us agree that we’re gonna proceed to see if we are able to discover out the place she is and convey her dwelling to them.
Det. Cheryl Nablo: Simply because … James was charged and convicted does not imply that she nonetheless does not need to be discovered.
Tandra Brus: I wanna carry her dwelling. I wanna have a correct burial for her. … I would like any individual on the market, they know one thing, to please come ahead.
Till then, those that beloved Jade proceed to battle with their grief.
Tandra Brus: I’ve photos and, you recognize … I simply wanna consider her as when she was completely happy.
Jamee Koopman: I discuss her … I do not let folks overlook about her … she did not deserve any of this. … and I by no means need anyone to assume that she did something flawed … or that … it … was anyway her fault.
Dainlynn Greer: I — I simply needed extra folks to find out about her … that she existed and she or he was an individual … she received all the pieces she did not deserve in life … she deserved the whole world and she or he would’ve made the world a greater place each day that she would’ve been right here.
Produced by Betsy Shuller. Morgan Canty is the sphere producer. Doreen Schechter, Gregory Kaplan and Phil Tangel are the editors. Michelle Sigona is the event producer. Anthony Batson is the senior producer. Nancy Kramer is the chief story editor. Judy Tygard is the chief producer.
