On December 7, 1963, Sergeant James Lee Haynes, a 32-year-old U.S. Army soldier, disappeared while hitchhiking to his parents' home in Saulsville, Wyoming County, West Virginia. A resident of Baltimore, Maryland, where he lived with his wife and children, Haynes was traveling to visit family for Christmas, carrying presents with him. He was last seen in his Army Class A uniform.
His journey took an unfortunate turn after a stop at a tavern in Raleigh County, where he was allegedly involved in an altercation with three local men.
Authorities believe that following the brawl, the three men pursued Haynes in their vehicle and intentionally struck him on Bolt Mountain Road. It is alleged that the assailants, to ensure his death, backed their car over him multiple times before placing his body in the trunk and burying it on Bolt Mountain in Wyoming County. Subsequent searches of the area uncovered some of Haynes's personal effects; his chain was found nailed to a tree, and his billfold, along with bloody rags, was discovered hidden inside a stump. While some reports mentioned the discovery of his Army dog tags, other sources indicate this is incorrect.
The investigation into Haynes's disappearance continued for years, eventually leading to a significant development in 1971. One of the suspects, William Lundy Trump, was arrested and charged with Haynes's murder. However, the charges were later dropped due to a lack of sufficient evidence. The other two men identified as suspects were James Paul Cozort and James Floyd Cox. Cozort was questioned by authorities in Oregon, where he had relocated, but he was never charged. Police were unable to locate Cox for questioning following Trump's arrest.
Despite the passage of decades and the presumed deaths of the primary suspects, the case of James Lee Haynes officially remains unsolved. Law enforcement authorities have expressed that while a prosecution is unlikely at this stage, their primary goal is to locate Haynes's remains to provide closure for his family. Haynes was a Purple Heart recipient, having been wounded during his service in the Korean War. His family, including his twin daughters who were toddlers at the time of his disappearance, have continued to seek answers and advocate for the resolution of his case.Last Seen: Dec 7, 1963
