Shivangi Sinha
James Chambers, the son of Rachel Wellhouser and James Chambers Sr., went missing on August 15, 2014. Despite extensive efforts by the police, there were no signs of him. Over the weeks, suspicions grew that James might have been murdered, and Howard Ashleman, his co-worker, was the last person seen with him. In 2018, after years of attempting to connect Howard to the case and locate James’ body, Howard finally confessed. Though they were devastated about James’ murder, seeing the perpetrator being dragged to justice brought a semblance of relief to his parents, who appeared on NBC’s ‘Dateline: The Bridge’ to talk about the case.
Who are James Chambers’ Parents?
On August 18, 2014, when James Chambers failed to report to work, his parents, Rachel Wellhouser and James Chambers Sr., sensed that something was amiss. The family had fostered a deep bond, particularly after the loss of their oldest child, James’ brother Michael, at the age of 15, to muscular dystrophy in 2008. Given the family’s history, maintaining regular communication was a norm even though Rachel and James Sr. were no longer together. The last text that Rachel had got from her son was on August 15, and he had said that he loved her and would call her soon. They decided that informing the authorities was the best way forward for them.
When the initial police investigation yielded no results, Rachel turned to social media, seeking help from the community to locate her son. The outpouring of support from people was significant. Despite having a suspect, Howard Ashleman, the police lacked the necessary evidence to proceed, and James’ body remained undiscovered. Fearing that the case would go cold, James’ parents enlisted the assistance of a prominent private investigator, David Marshburn. Marshburn, in turn, spoke with a friend of Howard’s who revealed disturbing details about the case. He told them that he suspected Howard had killed James and probably dismembered his body and buried it in small garbage bags.
In an attempt to find her son, Rachel started searching the location that Marshburn had specified and she was determined to find him. She was ready to cover as big a distance as required to find the last remains of James and bury him next to his brother, Michael. In her heart, Rachel knew that it was Howard who had killed her son so she started following his online activities closely. She was very concerned to discover that Howard had moved to Florida, joined a Bible College and had a girlfriend. Rachel informed the authorities and expressed her concern for this girl.
James Chambers’ Parents are Looking for Their Son’s Remains Till Today
When Howard Ashleman ultimately admitted to his crimes and provided the details of the murder to the police, Rachel Wellhouser and James Chambers Sr. were devastated to learn what had happened to their son. Simultaneously, it brought them a sense of peace, knowing that the justice they had sought for so many years had finally been achieved. They attended Howard’s sentencing hearing and spoke to the press and told them that Howard’s wife, Hannah Jones had tried to hug Rachel but she had declined.
Howard had promised to disclose the exact location where he had buried James, but he failed to lead the police to the specific spot. In 2022, human remains were found in an area near where James was believed to be buried, but upon identification, they turned out not to be his. James Chambers Sr. took this opportunity to emphasize that his son’s murder is still an open investigation. It marks only the beginning, and they will not cease their efforts until James’s remains are located, allowing them to lay their son to rest in peace.
Read More: James Chambers Murder: How Did He Die? Who Killed Him?
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