Unsolved Homicide

James Douglas Crawford

James Douglas Crawford, 54, was found dead inside a burned mobile home near Ashland on Dec. 28, 2011. Investigators later said he had been shot in the chest. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office renewed its investigation in 2016, when a combined reward was reported at $25,000. No supplied source reports an arrest or resolution.

Incident date: December 28, 2011
Location: Ashland, Clay County
Independent sources: 2

The record

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office renewed its effort in 2016 to identify who killed James Douglas Crawford, whose body was found in a burned mobile home near Ashland in December 2011.12

The sheriff’s office received a report at about 8 a.m. on Dec. 28, 2011, of a fire at a mobile home on Mack Crawford Road. The caller said someone appeared to be trapped inside.2 Officers and firefighters found Crawford’s body in the living room after the fire had smoldered, according to WBRC. He was the only person found inside.2

WBRC reported that Crawford was 54 and that the sheriff’s office was investigating the death as a homicide. Fire departments from Ashland, Shiloh and Bluff Springs responded. The cause of the fire remained unknown when the report was updated in January 2012.2

ABC 33/40 later reported that investigators determined Crawford had been shot in the chest.1 The station’s 2016 account described the property as a burned home in Ashland, while WBRC identified it more specifically as a mobile home on Mack Crawford Road.12

In September 2016, Sheriff Ray Latham said investigators had compiled substantial evidence and that several agencies were involved, but some parts of the evidence did not fit together.1 He directed deputies to review the case again.1

Crawford’s family and the Governor’s Office had offered a reward for years, ABC 33/40 reported. Both had recently increased the combined reward to $25,000 as of September 2016.1

Crawford’s sister, Darlene Raughton, said the family wanted answers and closure. She described her brother as an outdoorsman who loved fishing and said his death had been difficult for the family.1

No supplied source reports an arrest or resolution. The most recent source, published in 2016, described the sheriff’s office as continuing to seek information in the homicide.1

Timeline

December 28, 2011Confirmed
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office received a fire report at about 8 a.m. at a mobile home on Mack Crawford Road. Officers and firefighters found James Douglas Crawford’s body in the living room.
January 6, 2012Confirmed
WBRC’s updated report said the sheriff’s office was investigating the death as a homicide and the fire’s cause remained unknown.
September 8, 2016Confirmed
ABC 33/40 reported that the sheriff’s office had renewed efforts to identify Crawford’s killer, that investigators said he had been shot in the chest, and that the reward had been increased to $25,000.

Documented claims

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office received a fire report at about 8 a.m. on Dec. 28, 2011, involving a mobile home on Mack Crawford Road, where a caller said a person appeared to be trapped.
Confirmed
Source: WBRC · Single-source claim.
Officers and firefighters found James Douglas Crawford’s body in the living room after the fire had smoldered; he was the only person found inside.
Confirmed
Source: WBRC · Corroborated by 1 additional source: https://abc3340.com/news/local/clay-county-sheriff-renews-effort-to-find-who-killed-james-douglas-crawford
Crawford was 54 when he was found dead.
Reported
Source: WBRC · Single-source claim.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office investigated the death as a homicide.
Confirmed
Source: WBRC · Corroborated by 1 additional source: https://abc3340.com/news/local/clay-county-sheriff-renews-effort-to-find-who-killed-james-douglas-crawford
Investigators determined Crawford had been shot in the chest.
Confirmed
Source: ABC 33/40 · Single-source claim.
Fire departments from Ashland, Shiloh and Bluff Springs responded to the fire.
Reported
Source: WBRC · Single-source claim.
The cause of the fire was unknown when WBRC updated its report on Jan. 6, 2012.
Reported
Source: WBRC · Single-source claim.
In September 2016, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office renewed its effort to identify Crawford’s killer and directed deputies to review the case.
Confirmed
Source: ABC 33/40 · Single-source claim.
Sheriff Ray Latham said investigators had compiled substantial evidence, several agencies were involved, and some pieces of evidence did not fit together.
Confirmed
Source: ABC 33/40 · Single-source claim.
Crawford’s family and the Governor’s Office had offered a reward for years and had increased the combined amount to $25,000 by September 2016.
Reported
Source: ABC 33/40 · Single-source claim.
Crawford’s sister, Darlene Raughton, said the family wanted answers and closure and described him as an outdoorsman who loved fishing.
Reported
Source: ABC 33/40 · Single-source claim.
No supplied source reports an arrest or resolution; the latest supplied account, from 2016, described the case as unresolved.
Reported
Source: ABC 33/40 · Single-source claim.

Sources

Clay County Sheriff's Office renews effort to find who killed James Douglas Crawford — ABC 33/40Open
Clay County house fire now investigated as homicide — WBRCOpen