Remains found in December were identified as James Wesley Blackwell.
On Nov. 19, 2013, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to 4020 Clonts Road, Apison, to take a report of a missing person. The girlfriend of Mr. Blackwell reported that he had been missing since Nov. 18, at 8 a.m. Attempts to locate Mr. Blackwell were unsuccessful.
On Dec. 14, 2014, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office responded to information of possible human remains in the 4500 block of Clonts Road, Apison. The 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 March 26, the Hamilton County Medical Examiner’s Office, working with the Forensic Anthropology Center, identified the remains as those of Mr. Blackwell. The cause of death has been ruled a suicide.