On 11/19/2013, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to 4020 Clonts Road, Apison, TN. to take a report of a missing person. The girlfriend of James Wesley Blackwell reported that Blackwell had been missing since 11/18/2013 at 8:00 AM. Attempts to locate Mr. Blackwell were unsuccessful.

On 12/14/ 2014, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office responded to information of possible human remains located in the 4500 block of Clonts Road, Apison, Tn. These remains were found by a hunter. The remains were identified as human. The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office requested, through the Hamilton County Medical Examiner’s Office, the assistance of the Forensic Anthropology Center: UT Knoxville to assist in the recovery of the remains. The remains were transferred to the Forensic Anthropology Center: UT Knoxville for identification.

On 3/26/2015, the Hamilton County Medical Examiner’s Office, working with the Forensic Anthropology Center, has identified the remains found on 12/4/2014, as those of James Wesley Blackwell. Mr. Blackwell’s manner of death has been ruled a suicide.