The Long Road to Bolt
We’re right here in Appalachia, on an active search party looking for Sergeant James Lee Haynes. We believe he was murdered back in 1963 in Bolt. James Lee Haynes was traveling home on December 7th from Baltimore, Maryland, heading to Salsdale to see his mom and dad and bring them Christmas gifts. He caught a ride with one of his brothers to Harper’s Berry and then got a lift with a woman all the way to Oak Hill.
The fact that we are even out here today is largely thanks to his daughters, Brenda and Linda, who are very sweet people. They just never gave up and decided to send letters to everyone, and eventually, people finally listened to them. We’ve gathered enough information now to restart this process and hit key areas really in depth for the first time. It’s been 62 years since he went missing, but getting out here and doing our best to find him is what counts. The search effort is massive, involving people from the Department of Defense, National Guard, fire department, prosecutor’s office, and canine units. The main goal is to follow up on information we’ve recovered and compiled over the last year regarding Sergeant Haynes’ possible location.
“The daughters they just have never gave up and they decided just to send letters to everyone and people finally listen to them.”
A Fatal Confrontation at the Tavern
The story of James Lee Haynes takes a dark turn when he ended up in the Bolt Tavern. According to the alleged details of the case, a local man named Lundy Trump and his group wanted to buy Haynes a beer or some other drink. Haynes simply wanted coffee or hot chocolate. The group allegedly got offended, and a fight started.
Haynes left the Bolt Tavern, heading toward Little Bolt Mountain. That’s when the group allegedly caught up to him on the road, hitting him with the front fender of their vehicle, running him over, and backing over his head. A man named B, who was a witness from the bar, stuck his head out of the vehicle, thinking they needed help on the cold December night, but they told him, “No, keep going,”. Allegedly, Lundy then took James to his house and had his wife wrap him up in a blanket or rug. James is believed to be somewhere near Lundy’s house, possibly buried under a beach tree. There were also rumors that the perpetrator brought his Bible out and would read it over Haynes’ grave.
“Lundy Trump and his little group of idiots wanted to buy him a beer or whatever drink he wanted. He just wanted coffee or hot chocolate. They got offended and then they started a fight.”
K9s and Cinder Blocks: Finding Answers
The search began with K9 handlers working an area about 3/4 of a mile up a hollow, flagged off because it was of interest to the investigators. The team was focused on finding a beach tree, as interviews in some files suggest he was buried under one, and dog tags may have been put on the tree. The dogs ran around that section, but the first search was technically unsuccessful; the dogs got nothing there.
The team moved to a second location, the former residence of one of the suspects. This house is significant because Haynes’ daughter told investigators that she saw him there being wrapped up in a blanket or quilt after the incident. The dogs hit at the house, specifically in the corner near the kitchen wall. This led the experts on the scene to use Luminol, a chemical that glows if blood is present, after blacking out the room. They found something and noticed definite indicators of blood. Cinder blocks from that area were cut out to be sent off for testing to see if the blood is human and if DNA can be obtained to match it to Sergeant Haynes. If the test results confirm it is his blood, it would legally confirm the house was involved in the story. This development marks significant progress in a case that has touched the community for a very long time.
“It’s a big deal but still don’t want to get your hopes up but it’s something. It’s overwhelming.”
Want to see the K9 units in action, the moment the Luminol hit glowed, and hear from the family who has fought for justice for six decades? Check out the original video below to witness this incredible effort to bring Sergeant James Lee Haynes home.
