From Investigation to National Spotlight: Detective Chris Wuebker to Discuss Jade Colvin Case on 48 Hours

If no one funds local news, your community is just rumors. Help Decorah News bring facts home. DECORAH — A Winneshiek County detective who helped lead the local investigation into the disappearance and killing of a 14-year-old girl says national attention on the case through an upcoming television episode highlights both the complexity of the investigation and the collaborative work that led to a conviction. Detective Chris Wuebker of the Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office recently participated in interviews for an episode of the television news program "48 Hours," focusing on the case of Jade Colvin, a teenager who traveled to Winneshiek County before prosecutors allege she was murdered by James Bachmurski. The program approached local authorities after Bachmurski's trial, asking to revisit the investigation and explain the case to a national audience, Wuebker said in an interview with DecorahNews.com. A complex investigation The case began when federal authorities were conducting a broader effort to locate missing children. According to Wuebker, the U.S. Marshals Service had initiated a large search involving numerous missing juveniles. During that effort, authorities identified that Colvin had traveled to Winneshiek County. Local investigators began working with federal officials once the information surfaced. "They contacted us. We started to investigate with them," Wuebker said. As investigators reviewed evidence and statements related to Colvin's presence in the county, some details did not appear consistent, prompting the sheriff's office to open its own investigation into her disappearance. Working with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), Wuebker and other investigators conducted interviews and examined information gathered earlier by federal authorities. The investigation ultimately led authorities to a farm connected to Bachmurski, where Colvin had stayed after arriving in the county. "At the time she was there," Wuebker said, "the two were the only people living at the residence". Interviews with Bachmurski, along with other evidence presented during the trial, led investigators to conclude that Colvin had been killed there. A jury ultimately convicted Bachmurski of her murder. Across state lines For Wuebker, the investigation presented logistical challenges uncommon in many local cases. "Law enforcement is an occupation where every day is different," he said. "Every case is always unique." The search for information required investigators to travel long distances and conduct interviews in multiple locations, including outside Iowa. Support from Winneshiek County Sheriff Dan Marx, Wuebker said, made those efforts possible. "Having that support was ultimately huge in being able to go and do our job," he said. A rare case The trial drew significant attention in Winneshiek County, though Wuebker said he did not initially realize the significance of the case. "I didn't know what I was a part of at the time," he said, explaining that he approached the situation like any other case. Cases prosecuted without a recovered body are rare in Iowa. The prosecution presented extensive evidence to help jurors understand the events investigators believe took place. "There was a lot of evidence there," Wuebker emphasized, crediting prosecutors for selecting and presenting key information for the jury such as extensive interviews, phone call transcripts and electronic communications. Filming for national television Wuebker's involvement with the upcoming 48 Hours episode included multiple filmed interviews describing the investigation. One interview took place at the Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office in Decorah with correspondent Natalie Morales, while another segment was filmed at the local Pizza Ranch restaurant referenced in the case. The program also conducted a second filmed interview in Des Moines with Wuebker, Assistant Attorney General Scott Brown, and retired special agent John Turbett, discussing the investigation and prosecution. Wuebker said the production process was unfamiliar but revealing. "I've never been a part of anything like that," he said, describing the experience of sitting under studio lights with cameras rolling. Filming took place in January, and producers indicated the program would likely air sometime this spring. Producers also interviewed other individuals connected to the investigation, including law enforcement officers from Des Moines and people who knew Colvin, Wuebker said. Hope for answers Despite the conviction, Wuebker said the case remains incomplete in one important way: Colvin's body has still not been found. "I would like to, for the family's sake, find Jade Colvin," he said. He hopes the television episode will not only bring broader attention to the case but also demonstrate how different agencies cooperated during the investigation. "Our ultimate hope in doing an episode like this is to show the world that there is law enforcement out there that works together and that you can trust to bring you some kind of resolution," he said, "there is always hope." Throughout the interview, Wuebker emphasized that the outcome was the result of extensive teamwork among investigators, prosecutors, and other agencies. Many individuals contributed to the case, sometimes in small but critical ways, he said, from conducting interviews to helping organize evidence and identify potential witnesses, "It was a great team effort overall," he concluded. The upcoming episode of 48 Hours will present the investigation to a national audience, offering a detailed look at the work that led to the conviction and the continuing search for answers in Colvin's case. Stay connected and informed! Join the free newsletter for curated news, trending topics, and insider perspectives you won't find anywhere else.