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The Dateline: Unforgettable episode, The Bridge, offers a dive into the horrifying murder of James Chambers, a construction worker from Fayetteville, North Carolina. From Chamber's sudden disappearance to the investigators discovering the killer, the episode covers it all.
As explained in the Dateline episode, the construction worker was reported missing in August 2014 and was last seen at his home. The only two individuals who saw James Chambers before his disappearance were his ex-girlfriend and co-worker, Howard Adrian Ashleman.
It is revealed that Ashleman and Chambers had a history of conflicts and animosity. The day Chambers went missing, he was with his co-worker, and their issues escalated during a drive that night.
The construction worker was on his way to a weekend lifeguard job at a lake, and Ashleman accompanied him. Little did he know that their issues would lead Ashlem to take out a gun while driving and fire a shot.
During the conflict, Howard Adrian Ashleman reportedly fired a shot only to scare Chambers, but he tragically ended up killing him. What is even more shocking about the case is that Ashleman evaded police scrutiny for almost three years until he was convicted in 2018 and is currently serving inside the Columbus Correctional Institution near Brunswick, North Carolina.
Continue reading to learn more about the case and how Ashleman was caught.
Dateline: Unforgettable explores the 2014 murder of James Chambers
The Dateline: Unforgettable episode from 2024 will take viewers back to 2014 when a construction worker named James Chambers went missing and his killer was revealed to be his very own co-worker, Howard Adrian Ashleman. As mentioned above, Ashleman succeeded in hiding his crime for almost three years until a video of his confession was discovered.
The episode synopsis reads:
"North Carolina detectives search for answers in the murder of 28-year-old Fayetteville construction worker James Chambers; featuring interviews with James' family members and investigators at the center of the case."
The Dateline episode includes interviews, evidence breakdowns, and new insights into the investigation. It explores how Ashleman killed his co-worker by shooting him, followed by burning Chambers alive.
Initially, Ashleman buried Chambers' dead body but later dug it up, brutally tore apart his body parts, and placed them inside plastic bags. The killer then took the dismembered body parts and threw them in the Cape Fear River in North Carolina.
Since Howard Adrian Ashleman's crime was uncovered, he agreed to show the investigators the location where he dumped Chambers' body parts. Despite an extensive search, the construction worker's dead body was never recovered.
The Dateline episode also highlights the pain of James Chambers' family as they never got closure by recovering his remains. However, the investigators ensured justice was served and Ashleman was put behind bars.
The conviction of Howard Adrian Ashleman for killing James Chambers
Soon after the murder of James Chambers, Ashleman moved to Florida and started a relationship with a woman named Hannah Jones. Since Howard Adrian Ashleman was a suspect, the investigators informed her about the case.
As explained in the Dateline episode, the two developed a heart bond, Ashleman had been feeling guilty of murdering his co-worker confessed to Jones. Upon hearing him, the woman recovered his confession and handed over the evidence to the Floride police.
He later married Jones, trying to prevent her from testifying, but the proof was already recorded. Finally, in February 2018, the police arrested Ashleman who later confessed to the slaying of James Chambers.
He was declared guilty of second-degree murder and received a sentence ranging from 15 years and six months to 19 years and eight months in prison. As of now, he is serving his punishment and will be eligible for parole only in 2033.
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