FL FL - James Lavelle Hurst, 51, fugitive, stole plane in Bahamas, never seen again, September 17, 1982

[AguaFlorida2001]

I found two really bizarre entries in NamUs. I was looking for Unidentified Doe's, and I found this #UP8655 who was suggested as being James. This led me to James Lavelle Hurst's MP page #MP22085.

First Name - James
Middle Name - Lavelle
Last Name - Hurst
Nickname/Alias - "Ambulance"
Missing Age - 51 Years
Sex - Male
Height - 6' 1" - 6' 2" (73 - 74 Inches)
Weight - 160 - 190 lbs
Race / Ethnicity - White / Caucasian

NamUs UP Page's Description of Doe Suspected to be James:
A death certificate was issued for James Laval Hurst on this case following investigation into a plane theft and crash in the Bahamas. Mr. Hurst was out on bond having been arrested for shooting another individual. Mr. Hurst's ex-wife paid for his plane fare to the Bahamas. Mr. Hurst and another man were reportedly (by an informant) taken to the airport runway in Marsh Harbor, Abacas, Bahamas where they stole a plane belonging to a man from West Palm Beach. The plane crashed shortly after take-off and was allegedly witnessed by the informant. The informant advised Naples Police Department and the bail bondsman who retrieved the remains from the crash and brought them to Naples where they were examined by the medical examiner and later by a forensic anthropologist. The anthropologist determined the co-mingled remains to be those of two males; one an approximately 50 year old white male and the other a younger individual around 20 years old. The passenger of the plane was believed to be a Colombian national. The Naples Police Department does not accept the presumptive identification and consider Mr. Hurst still at large.

NamUs MP Page's Description of James L. Hurst:
The missing subject's ex-wife claims to have paid for a flight to the Bahamas’ in September of 1982. The subject has not been seen or heard from since. No legitimate sources have confirmed that the subject ever arrived in the Bahamas.

Florida Unidentified Decedents Database's Page for James Hurst

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I'm a little shocked this case doesn't have more coverage. So, they found a plane that crashed near where James supposedly crashed in the Bahamas, but they don't think the remains in there are his? And they consider him still at large? I'm trying to figure this all out.

 

[Mfcovent]

I found two really bizarre entries in NamUs. I was looking for Unidentified Doe's, and I found this #UP8655 who was suggested as being James. This led me to James Lavelle Hurst's MP page #MP22085.

First Name - James
Middle Name - Lavelle
Last Name - Hurst
Nickname/Alias - "Ambulance"
Missing Age - 51 Years
Sex - Male
Height - 6' 1" - 6' 2" (73 - 74 Inches)
Weight - 160 - 190 lbs
Race / Ethnicity - White / Caucasian

NamUs UP Page's Description of Doe Suspected to be James:
A death certificate was issued for James Laval Hurst on this case following investigation into a plane theft and crash in the Bahamas. Mr. Hurst was out on bond having been arrested for shooting another individual. Mr. Hurst's ex-wife paid for his plane fare to the Bahamas. Mr. Hurst and another man were reportedly (by an informant) taken to the airport runway in Marsh Harbor, Abacas, Bahamas where they stole a plane belonging to a man from West Palm Beach. The plane crashed shortly after take-off and was allegedly witnessed by the informant. The informant advised Naples Police Department and the bail bondsman who retrieved the remains from the crash and brought them to Naples where they were examined by the medical examiner and later by a forensic anthropologist. The anthropologist determined the co-mingled remains to be those of two males; one an approximately 50 year old white male and the other a younger individual around 20 years old. The passenger of the plane was believed to be a Colombian national. The Naples Police Department does not accept the presumptive identification and consider Mr. Hurst still at large.

NamUs MP Page's Description of James L. Hurst:
The missing subject's ex-wife claims to have paid for a flight to the Bahamas’ in September of 1982. The subject has not been seen or heard from since. No legitimate sources have confirmed that the subject ever arrived in the Bahamas.

Florida Unidentified Decedents Database's Page for James Hurst

----

I'm a little shocked this case doesn't have more coverage. So, they found a plane that crashed near where James supposedly crashed in the Bahamas, but they don't think the remains in there are his? And they consider him still at large? I'm trying to figure this all out.

Ooooh, I don't think I have ever heard of this case! How interesting!

 

[AguaFlorida2001]

Ooooh, I don't think I have ever heard of this case! How interesting!

I was shocked to find almost nothing about it on the internet. He was arrested for shooting somebody and let out on bond, flew to the Bahamas, stole a plane, and then it crashed and he was just never found? So what do they think happened? He got out of the plane and swam to shore somewhere? And what happened to his wife after she bought him a plane ticket to leave the country? So many questions, so little information...

 

[Mfcovent]

I was shocked to find almost nothing about it on the internet. He was arrested for shooting somebody and let out on bond, flew to the Bahamas, stole a plane, and then it crashed and he was just never found? So what do they think happened? He got out of the plane and swam to shore somewhere? And what happened to his wife after she bought him a plane ticket to leave the country? So many questions, so little information...

I wonder if he was ever really on the plane that crashed. And who was the other guy?! Sooooo many questions. I'm with you!

 

[victoriarobinson642]

News-Press from Fort Myers, Florida on July 3, 1982 · Page 19

Get this News-Press page for free from Saturday, July 3, 1982 ter plans to cut costs of medical treatment for elderly He is a 73-year-old widower who has neglected bis health since his wife passed away. He is suffering from depression and malnutrition but doesn't think be can afford proper...

www.newspapers.com

James Laval Hurst, 51, of 3135 Cottage Grove Ave., was arrested on charges of aggravated battery and carrying a concealed firearm after police found both he and the victim at the Captain's Cabin Lounge, 2223 9th St N. Police said R E Braun, 50, of [address] was transported to Naples Community Hospital with a gunshot wound to the head but was treated and released from the hospital. Police were dispatched to the bar at 2:38 p.m. in response to a report of gunshots being fired. Police said the shooting occurred after a brief altercation between the two men. Hurst was being held in the Collier County Jail Friday evening on a $4,000 bond

 

[TeaTime]

If there are remains, there is DNA to determine if the deceased is indeed Mr. Hurst.

I've flown into and out of that airport. Only little 6 passenger planes land there. They weigh you and your luggage before you board. The end of the runway was littered with little crashed planes, it is short runway carved out of jungle. You can't travel far in the kind of plane that can take off there. Maybe back to the states or to Cuba.

 

[tarabull]

IINM, & without a membership, I reckon he is on ancestory as Jimmie with a YOD of 1982, fwiw.

 

[AguaFlorida2001]

If there are remains, there is DNA to determine if the deceased is indeed Mr. Hurst.

I've flown into and out of that airport. Only little 6 passenger planes land there. They weigh you and your luggage before you board. The end of the runway was littered with little crashed planes, it is short runway carved out of jungle. You can't travel far in the kind of plane that can take off there. Maybe back to the states or to Cuba.

I wonder why DNA has never been used to determine it then? Interesting.

 

[WingsOverTX]

Mr. Hurst has an interesting nickname. Wonder why he was called "Ambulance"?

 

[AguaFlorida2001]

Mr. Hurst has an interesting nickname. Wonder why he was called "Ambulance"?

I was thinking the same thing. There's SO little info on everything else pertaining to his case but this oddly specific nickname somehow made it in his case file? Lol

 

[ifindedout]

The airport in question:

Marsh Harbour Airport - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Interestingly, I found no mention of the type of aircraft or its registration number.

 

[ifindedout]

Mr. Hurst has an interesting nickname. Wonder why he was called "Ambulance"?

Probably football related <modsnip>. MOO

 

[YaYa_521]

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[BryanH]

The airport in question:

Interestingly, I found no mention of the type of aircraft or its registration number.

It was a Cessna 310