Dateline: Unforgettable - 5 details about James Chambers' harrowing murder, explored

NBC’s Dateline episode titled The Bridge takes you through the 2014 murder case of James Chambers. The episode, which aired on January 21, 2024, focused on interviews with family and investigators as they uncover the murder and disappearance of James Chambers, a 28-year-old Fayetteville construction worker.

James Allan Chambers disappeared on August 15, 2014. After years of investigations, his co-worker, Howard Adrian Ashleman, was arrested in February 2018.

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Here are 5 notable details about James Chambers' harrowing murder

1) James Chambers was with his co-worker, Howard Adrian Ashleman, on the day of his disappearance

On August 15, 2014, his roommate, Brandi Sugrue, saw James Chambers after he had completed work at the construction company. Chambers was headed to Lake Leamon, where he also worked as a lifeguard. He was with his co-worker Howard Ashleman. In his interview with Dateline NBC, Brandi said that he assumed Chambers was at his girlfriend’s house when he failed to come home.

As days passed, Chambers' family and friends got suspicious. James Chambers had also failed to report at work. His family reported him as missing at the Fayetteville Police Department on August 24, 2014.

2) The lack of evidence in the case

Chambers' family and the police conducted several manhunts. They could not get any leads. At the same time, they were suspicious of Howard Ashleman. Chambers’ father and Brandi informed the police about the ongoing dispute between the two.

Ashleman was cooperative with the investigation but denied any involvement. He said that he had dropped Chambers off at his house after work and had not seen him since. The police were unable to arrest him because of insufficient evidence.

3) Howard Ashleman shot James Chambers and buried his body

After three years of investigation without any substantial evidence, Chambers’ parents hired a private detective. The private investigator got in touch with Ashleman’s friend, Reno Parks, with whom he had met on the ominous day.

Parks refused to speak to the police but revealed to the investigator that Ashleman had allegedly shot at Chambers to intimidate him. They had had a heated argument, and Ashleman reportedly retrieved a gun from the truck and fired at him. He allegedly burnt and buried Chambers’ body in the woods behind his house. When the case was seriously being pursued by the police, Ashleman dug up the body, dismembered it, and dropped it into the Cape Fear River.

4) Howard Ashleman’s confession

After the incident, Ashleman moved to Florida. He had discussed his guilt of shooting Chambers with his wife, who had recorded him.

It took the Fayetteville Police Department, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office to finally get a hold of Howard Ashleman’s recorded confession with the help of his wife, Hannah Jones. He was arrested on February 12, 2018, in Randolph County. Howard Ashleman pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

5) The search for James Chambers' body continues

As part of the plea deal, Ashleman agreed to show the location of the victim’s body. Chambers’ family and the police searched the areas around Keener Road Bridge, where Ashleman led the detectives. Chambers' body is yet to be recovered.

Howard Ashleman is currently locked up at the Colombus Correctional Institution in Whiteville. Family members of Chambers are still hopeful as the search continues.

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