48 Hours: Post Mortem – "Jade Colvin Is Missing"
Host: Anne-Marie Green
Guest: Natalie Morales (48 Hours Correspondent)
Release Date: April 21, 2026
Episode Overview
This "Post Mortem" episode revisits the haunting case of 14-year-old Jade Colvin, who was reported missing from an Iowa youth shelter in June 2016. For years, her disappearance was considered another instance in her troubling pattern of running away—until a determined coalition of investigators, using both old-school dedication and modern tools, unraveled evidence implicating James Bachmersky, her mother’s short-term boyfriend. Host Anne-Marie Green and correspondent Natalie Morales dig deep into investigative obstacles, family trauma, and critical breakthroughs, highlighting the passion of those who fought for Jade's justice.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Jade’s Troubled Background and Disappearance
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Family Struggles: Both Jade’s mother, LaDawn, and her father, Kevin, struggled with substance abuse, leading to Jade being placed in foster care at 13. She ran away frequently from shelters and facilities, evading the system with her mother's help.
“She literally just fell off the map.” — Natalie Morales [02:43]
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Break in Communication: Jade’s family and friends realized something was wrong when all communication from her ended in March 2017, particularly concerning since she would have soon aged out of the foster system.
2. Why Authorities Took Jade’s Case Seriously
- Renewed Efforts: The investigation was reinvigorated in 2020 under "Operation Homecoming," a US Marshals effort focused on missing children in Iowa. Jade’s complete absence from social media, noted after records were subpoenaed, raised major alarms.
“For them not to have any kind of social media presence, very unusual.” — Natalie Morales [04:50]
“If we can't find her, we want to get justice for Jade.” — Special Agent John Turbot (paraphrased by Morales) [05:15]
3. Personal Motivation for Investigators
- Humanizing the Case: Special Agent Turbot’s dedication was personal—he kept Jade’s smiling face on his whiteboard.
“You see your own loved ones in some of these situations. Jade's picture was hung up on my whiteboard. And I looked at it every day for a couple years, and she was smiling. That's why I'm … trying to find her.” — Special Agent John Turbot [05:39]
4. The Plan to Hide Jade from Authorities
- LaDawn’s Desperate Measures: Fearing the system, LaDawn concocted a plan to hide Jade on a remote Decorah, Iowa farm owned by James Bachmersky, a man she’d been dating only four months. LaDawn herself lived three hours away due to legal troubles.
“She wasn’t putting her daughter there … to endanger her. She was a mother who thought she was doing her best at the time, despite all of her demons.” — Natalie Morales [07:09]
5. Family Involvement & Regret
- Jade’s aunt Tandra had cared for Jade and her sisters for over a year, providing stability. She regrets not being able to do more, though circumstances were dire for her as well.
“She really blossomed. … She regrets she couldn't do more and that she couldn't keep them.” — Natalie Morales [08:56]
6. Physical and Investigative Challenges
- Farm’s Isolation: The Decorah farm, spanning over 200 acres, is miles from town and deeply rural. The cold, the isolation, and the landscape made running away implausible and searching incredibly difficult.
“When you stand in the middle of nowhere like that in that farm … you know the situation that this young girl was placed in. She was completely isolated.” — Natalie Morales [11:15]
7. First Big Lead: Bachmersky's Son
- Brian Bachmersky’s Testimony: Brian, James Bachmersky’s son, verified that Jade had stayed at the farm. The last texts from Jade stopped abruptly—a chilling detail. Brian himself had doubts about his father, who had a record of child endangerment.
“He did eventually follow up … Bachmersky at the time gave him a lot of excuses … there’s some evidence as well that Brian didn’t believe his dad.” — Natalie Morales [14:30]
8. Evidence from Bachmersky’s Phone
- Investigators found Bachmersky's old cell phone, filled with critical, deleted evidence:
- Last photos of Jade alive, suggesting Bachmersky’s unhealthy interest.
- Photos of a cleaned kitchen and bedroom, details that didn’t align with known conditions.
- Deleted messages from Jade’s family urgently trying to reach her.
“That phone really became the key … investigators thought perhaps this showed some attraction that Bachmersky had to Jade.” — Natalie Morales [17:10]
9. Searching the Farm
- Needle in a Haystack: Despite combing the vast acreage with cadaver dogs, no human remains were found—but animal bones were, and Bachmersky’s hunting skills were noted as chillingly relevant.
“He was an avid outdoorsman … who knew how to harvest animals and then discard them.” — Detective Chris Webker [19:39]
10. Crucial Interrogations and Confession
- After being tracked to Georgia where he lived under an alias (“Bob Sage”), James Bachmersky was confronted. He repeatedly changed his story and eventually said:
“I'd rather go to the grave than tell what happened here in this case.” — James Bachmersky [20:47]
“This was as close to a confession as you could get.” — Natalie Morales [20:47]
11. Prosecution and Trial
- Circumstantial Case: Despite no body, murder weapon, or physical evidence, the prosecution relied on Bachmersky’s own words, the timeline, and the evidence of cover-up.
- The defense argued there was “no proof she’s dead” and pointed to her history of running away, but the jury convicted Bachmersky of second-degree murder.
"This case was purely circumstantial… But most incriminating were those words … 'I go to the grave before I tell the truth.'" — Natalie Morales [21:32]
12. Aftermath and Remaining Questions
- Bachmersky, sentenced at 67 to 50 years in prison, will likely never walk free. Jade’s loved ones, especially aunt Tandra, gain some relief, but the absence of Jade’s body means closure remains elusive.
"This is still an open missing person's case … until they find Jade's body." — Natalie Morales [23:38]
13. Other Unresolved Cases
- The episode notes that one other young person from "Operation Homecoming," Frederick Workman, remains missing. Listeners are urged to provide any tips.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On why Jade’s disappearance felt different:
“She literally just fell off the map … her reaching out to friends and family, that all stopped in March of 2017.” — Natalie Morales [02:43]
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On cell phone evidence:
“That phone really became the key to their investigation because on that phone, they found deleted text messages … [and] the last photos of Jade alive.” — Natalie Morales [17:10]
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On Bachmersky’s skills and fears about the farm:
“He was an avid outdoorsman … who knew how to handle himself and how to harvest animals and then discard them ... He definitely had the knowledge … to discard people.” — Detective Chris Webker [19:39–19:56]
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On Bachmersky’s near-confession:
“I’d rather go to the grave than tell what happened here in this case.” — James Bachmersky [20:47]
“This was as close to a confession as you could get.” — Natalie Morales [20:47]
Timestamps for Key Segments
| Segment & Topic | Timestamp |
|-------------------------------------------|------------------|
| Jade’s background and family struggles | 01:08 – 03:36 |
| Law enforcement takes the case seriously | 03:53 – 05:39 |
| Special Agent Turbot’s motivation | 05:39 – 06:01 |
| Hiding Jade on the Decorah farm | 06:08 – 08:03 |
| Jade’s aunt Tandra’s efforts | 08:42 – 10:03 |
| The farm’s remoteness and search | 10:57 – 12:38 |
| Interview with Bachmersky’s son Brian | 13:58 – 15:30 |
| Cell phone evidence | 17:10 – 18:42 |
| Farm search and Bachmersky’s skills | 18:42 – 20:03 |
| Bachmersky’s near-confession | 20:14 – 21:06 |
| The circumstantial trial and verdict | 21:32 – 22:53 |
| Family reactions and unresolved issues | 23:16 – 23:50 |
| Call to action for Frederick Workman | 24:16 – 24:52 |
Tone & Reflection
The conversation is somber yet driven by the hope of justice. Host Anne-Marie Green and Natalie Morales maintain empathy for Jade and her family and deep respect for the dogged investigators. The mood is investigative but human—marked by heartbreak, the relentless pursuit of truth, and the small, bittersweet reliefs of a conviction and partial closure.
Final Thoughts
While the episode provides a measure of justice for Jade Colvin, it is clear her story is unfinished. Investigators, family, and journalists alike remain determined to uncover the final truth, urging the public for any additional information—both about Jade and the still-missing Frederick Workman.
If you have information on Jade Colvin or Frederick Workman, contact the U.S. Marshals at 515-400-8140 or submit a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
