Jason Dale Bolton, a 16-year-old from Laurel, a small town in Franklin County, Indiana, tragically passed away on August 20, 1991. His death left many troubling questions unanswered. Officials said Jason fainted on a country road and was hit by a car. But Jason’s family wasn’t convinced. They believed there was more to the story. His mother, in particular, tirelessly sought justice, suspecting foul play.
Jason was known as a well-behaved young man, with only minor incidents involving marijuana. His family emphasized his good behavior at school and lack of disciplinary problems. They believed Jason’s death hinted at a darker and more shocking narrative of betrayal. Despite being a small town, witnesses didn’t come forward, and law enforcement didn’t thoroughly investigate Jason’s death. To this day, there are lingering questions and potential wrongdoers who haven’t been held accountable in Laurel, Indiana.
Eyewitness accounts from the night of Jason’s d*ath, along with a report by Fayette County Coroner Joseph E. Todd, indicate that around 1:00 a.m., Jason and his 15-year-old friend, Michael McIlveen, were drinking beer at a party. When they decided to walk to Jason’s father’s house on County Road 750 South, they became “tired and sleepy” from the alcohol and fell asleep on the road. Tragically, at approximately 3:00 a.m., Duane A. Grimm struck and k*lled Jason with his vehicle.
Trooper Todd Fields arrived at the scene that night. Grimm told him that he swerved to avoid what he thought was a person in the road but didn’t see the second person on the other side. Jason’s body was discovered on the road just outside Laurel. The investigation revealed severe injuries, including trauma to the groin area, crushed ribs, and fractured skull. Jason’s cause of d*ath was attributed to “massive internal injuries and internal hemorrhaging.”
Despite the appearance of a terrible accident, Jason’s family noticed several inconsistencies. They found it odd that Jason was supposedly headed to his estranged father’s house, someone he had never even met. Moreover, the police never tested partygoers’ cars for blood on their tires, despite suspicions about one attendee being a local drug dealer and related to the sheriff.
Jason’s sister, Tomi Bolton Schmidt, had strong doubts:
“The injuries described in the report and seen in the pictures don’t add up. His groin area was terribly mutilated, with even a testicle found on the side of the road.”
In the months following Jason’s d*ath, rumors circulated, and the family received anonymous letters suggesting a more sinister version of events. For two decades, they have contended that Jason’s d*ath was a deliberate, brutal act by four men who restrained and castrated him in front of witnesses too frightened to speak up. To cover their tracks, they placed Jason on the road and ran him over intentionally. The pain he endured must have been unimaginable.
The family remains skeptical of the initial investigation by the Fayette County law enforcement agency, especially considering that many eyewitnesses went on to lead lives of crime.
Unfortunately, the truth about what happened to Jason may never be fully revealed unless someone comes forward. As far as the family is concerned, the case remains “open.” They are pushing for Jason’s body to be exhumed and new forensic tests to be conducted. Tomi Bolton Schmidt continues to implore authorities for transparency: “We only ask for an honest investigation into Jason’s death. Please open your hearts and minds to this.”
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