Suvechha Sarkar
Jade Marie Colvin was a 15-year-old girl who had her entire life ahead of her. Unfortunately, things took a dark turn when her loved ones were unable to get in contact with her since March 30, 2017. As the years passed, the search for answers intensified, and concerns grew that she might no longer be alive. Eventually, Jade’s digital footprint led authorities to her last known location, shedding light on what might have transpired in her final moments. CBS’ ’48 Hours: Jade Colvin Is Missing’ carefully examines the timeline of events and how it directed officials to Decorah, Iowa. The episode also features emotional interviews with her loved ones and the officers who worked tirelessly to solve the case.
Jade Marie Colvin Was Presumed Dead Despite Her Remains Never Being Discovered
Jade Marie Colvin arrived as a beacon of light in the lives of her mother, LaDawn Elaine Colvin, and her father on March 16, 2002. It is essential to note that no public reports currently provide information about her father. Jade grew up alongside her sister, Daisy Colvin. Furthermore, Jade maintained a close relationship with her aunt, Tina McLaughlin, and her cousin, Shalie Cino. According to court records, Jade sadly faced a tumultuous childhood since LaDawn lost custody of her children due to substance abuse and mental health problems. Eventually, Jade was placed in foster care by Iowa’s Department of Health and Human Services. Further reports suggest that she had actually run away from foster care multiple times and had grown up in several places.
Some of the locations that Jade had ties to included Des Moines and Dubuque in Iowa, and Phoenix, Arizona. In 2016, she reportedly ran away to Arizona, where she remained in hiding with relatives. On June 10, 2016, she was reported missing for the first time. Ultimately, the DHS authorities restored Jade’s custody to LaDawn since officials became worried about the well-being of the teenager. For a short time, Jade’s mother had been in a relationship with a man named James David Bachmurski. By March 2017, LaDawn brought Jade to James’ farm in rural Decorah, Iowa, and dropped her there. Reports state that Jade’s relatives became concerned when she didn’t contact them after March 23, 2017.
Jade’s missing person case was initially investigated by the US Marshal Service. In May 2022, the authorities informed the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office about Jade’s disappearance. As they began retracing Jade’s steps, they discovered that she was reportedly last seen on March 29, 2017, while visiting one of the Walmarts in Decorah. Furthermore, Jade’s digital footprint showed that she completely stopped all communication, including on social media, on March 30, 2017. As the years passed, despite extensive efforts by the officials, they were unable to obtain any information or leads that could point them to Jade. Eventually, the court classified her missing person case as a homicide. To this day, authorities have been unable to uncover Jade’s remains.
Digital Evidence Tied Jade’s Final Days to the Killer’s Rural Farm in Iowa
When the sheriff’s office took up the cold-case missing person investigation in May 2022, they first focused on Jade’s digital trail. Reports state that it soon led them to James’ farm in Decorah. By that time, James had already sold the farm and moved to Georgia. After searching a barn near the Decorah farm, officials discovered several items that belonged to James, including a cellphone. Digital forensic experts soon discovered on the mobile phone that, before the 15-year-old arrived at the farm, James had communicated with her via electronic messages for around a month. According to police records, some of the pictures found on that phone captured the last days of Jade on the farm. As detectives dug deeper, they learned that during her last sighting on March 29, she was seen with James.
Investigative reports indicate that detectives found Jade’s phone was unable to receive cell service, prompting her to use James’ mobile. He reportedly allowed the teenager to use his cellphone to send some messages, which turned out to be the final ones she sent on March 30. James was questioned on the matter twice in August 2023 and April 2024. During his first interview, James admitted that Jade was present on his farm in March 2017, as per official records. In his statements, James claimed that on March 30, he had last seen Jade doing laundry before he went out. He continued that when he returned home, he allegedly discovered she wasn’t there. James reportedly admitted that LaDawn did not know he had been communicating with Jade via message before the 15-year-old arrived on his farm.
The Killer’s Contradictory Statements Became Key to Solving the Cold Murder Case
Further records suggest that James told the investigators that he spent his own money to bring Jade to the farm. When questioned about why he didn’t report the situation, he claimed he was aware it was “wrong” or “illegal” since she was a “runaway girl.” According to court records, James’ son, Bryan Bachmurski, informed the authorities that he was living on the Decorah farm while Jade was there in March 2017. Bryan recalled that when he returned to the farmhouse, he reportedly saw some of Jade’s belongings and her empty suitcase. Officials also discovered that in 2012, James had pleaded guilty to child endangerment, harassment, and assault. During that case, he had admitted to abusing his children and threatening them with guns.
During the second interview with James, he stated, “You know what? I already, a long time ago, figured I’d go to the grave before I tell the truth.” While searching James’ items, authorities also discovered firearms. The discovery led to his arrest in June 2024, and he was served with a probation violation warrant on the charge of unlawful possession of a weapon. James was extradited from Georgia to Iowa and was charged with second-degree murder of Jade on August 12, 2024. His jury trial began in August 2025, and he was found guilty of second-degree murder on September 2, 2025. In October 2025, James received the maximum sentence of 50 years in prison, with the possibility of parole after 35 years, which is not before 2059.
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