James Donald Lusher Jr.

• Missing Since 11/06/1992
• Missing From Westfield, Massachusetts
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Sex Male
• Race White
• Date of Birth 10/15/1976 (47)
• Age 16 years old
• Height and Weight 5'2, 110 pounds
• Medical Conditions Jamie is classified as a special needs child; he is hyperactive and functions at the level of a twelve-year-old.
• Associated Vehicle(s) Gray-green Huffy mountain bicycle (accounted for)
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, blue eyes. Lusher's nickname is Jamie and almost all accounts refer to him by that name.

Details of Disappearance

Jamie was a special needs student enrolled at Westfield Alternative School in Westfield, Massachusetts in 1992. He planned to ride his gray-green Huffy mountain bicycle from his father's residence in Westfield to his grandmother's house in Blandford, Massachusetts on November 6, 1992. He planned to view a bicycle race in Blandford.

The trip was approximately 12 miles. Jamie never arrived as was expected.

A server employed at Friendly's Restaurant in Westfield told authorities that Jamie visited the establishment on November 8, two days after he initially disappeared. A hunter discovered his bicycle abandoned near a pond in a wooded area of the city on November 11. The bike was brand new; Jamie had gotten it for his birthday three weeks before his disappearance.

Authorities drained the pond and conducted an extensive air and ground search, but no evidence related to Jamie's whereabouts was located. He has never been heard from again. Authorities and his family initially believed he was a runaway, but they no longer believe he left of his own accord.

Convicted murderer Lewis S. Lent Jr. was placed near Westfield at the time of Jamie's disappearance. A photo of Lent is posted below this case summary. Lent was charged with the murder of another Massachusetts child, as well as the 1993 New York disappearance of Sara Wood. Lent confessed to abducting and killing Sara, but recanted his statements afterwards. He was convicted of her presumed homicide at a later date.

In July 2013, authorities announced Lent had confessed to Jamie's murder in detail. Authorities stated they didn't plan to prosecute Lent, as he is already in prison for life. They initiated a search for Jamie's body in Greenwater Pond, which is 88 acres in size and up to 58 feet deep in places. After three days they couldn't find any human remains or any of Jamie's clothing or belongings, but they haven't given up hope of locating his body.

Jamie's parents were divorced in 1992 and he lived with his father; they had a troubled relationship. His father described his son as a moody, immature teenager who disliked school and had few friends. Foul play is suspected due to the circumstances involved in Jamie's disappearance.