Missing 15-year-old’s death linked to man she lived with on farm, Iowa cops say
Jade Colvin hadn’t been seen or heard from since 2017, Iowa deputies said.
Two days before the 15-year-old vanished, she went to live on a man’s farm in Decorah, Iowa, the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office said in an Aug. 12 news release.
Seven years later, the man who officials said Colvin was living with on the farm is accused of killing her, according to the news release.
Colvin reported missing
According to an affidavit filed Aug. 12 in Winneshiek County, James Bachmurski, now 65, had been messaging with Colvin for approximately 30 days before she went to his home in March 2017. Colvin’s mother did not know about their communication, investigators said.
Bachmurski coordinated with the then 14-year-old to have her come to his farm, according to the court documents.
He told investigators he used some of his own money to help the teen come to his home, deputies said.
When the teen arrived at Bachmurski’s home, her phone did not have service, according to the affidavit. Deputies said Bachmurski gave her permission to use his phone to send messages, but those stopped March 30, 2017, the documents said.
“Since that time Jade Colvin has never spoken with family or friends and has never been seen or heard from again,” officials said in the affidavit.
Deputies said they were not aware Colvin had been missing until May 2022. Upon learning the information, they launched an investigation, partnering with multiple agencies across the country.
According to the Iowa Missing Person Information Clearinghouse, Colvin was reported missing to the Des Moines Police Department on March 23, 2017.
Investigation continues
During a 2023 interview, Bachmurski told investigators he recognized Colvin in a photo officials showed to him.
”I do. I’m not gonna lie, I do,” he told investigators, according to the affidavit. “As a matter of fact, I’ll guarantee you I’m getting myself in a lot of trouble. I want to tell you the truth.”
Bachmurski also told investigators he thought about contacting law enforcement when Colvin came to his home, according to the documents.
“(Bachmurski) said if he had alerted law enforcement that he had a runaway girl at his house, it would not have turned out good for him,” the affidavit said.
Bachmurski’s son also told investigators he saw Colvin’s suitcase in the man’s home when he visited, deputies said.
Bachmurski’s son told officials that the suitcase and the room where the teen had been staying were empty, according to court documents.
“(Bachmurski) admitted that he lied and told others that Jade Colvin had gone somewhere after her last text, while the investigation showed she was no longer alive,” the affidavit said. “Additionally, he made false and contradictory statements to others, including investigators, and his son ... throughout the investigation.”
Charges filed
Bachmurski was extradited to Iowa from a jail in Emanuel County, Georgia, the sheriff’s office said.
He was charged with second-degree murder Aug. 12 and is being held without bond, deputies said.
Details of Colvin’s death have not been released, but officials said they believe she was killed in March 2017.
The case is under investigation. Deputies said more arrests and charges are possible.
Decorah is about a 200-mile drive northeast from Des Moines.
This story was originally published August 13, 2024 at 4:22 PM with the headline "Missing 15-year-old’s death linked to man she lived with on farm, Iowa cops say."
