A Johnston County private investigator is being credited by authorities in Kansas with finding the body a 5 year-old boy who had been reported missing three months earlier.
On February 17, 2018, Emily Glass said she awakened from a nap to find her stepson, Lucas Hernandez, missing from their home in Wichita, Kansas. She said she immediately called police who launched a massive search for the little boy. Dozens of searches were conducted by police and volunteers. Weeks passed and there was no trace of Lucas.
Police interviewed Glass four times and she never changed her story, even though police said there was no evidence Lucas left their rental home on his own.
Lucas’s grandfather, Jonathan Hernandez, was working out of state when his grandson disappeared. Jonathan had heard about Smithfield, NC private investigator David Marshburn who spent 2 years before finding the remains of Army Specialist Kelli Bordeaux who disappeared from a Fayetteville nightclub on April 14, 2012. The man who was last seen with Bordeaux, Nicholas Holbert, eventually led Marshburn to where he buried her body. The case was featured on the national TV show 48 Hours.
Marshburn had been working on the disappearance of Cole Thomas of Florida who was last seen alive in November 2016 in Benson when he got the call from Hernandez. He agreed to help. Hernandez set up a Go Fund Me Page which raised $5,000 to pay for Marshburn’s trip to Wichita.
Marshburn arrived a few days later and met with Sheila Medlam, who had led volunteers in their search for missing Lucas. During the 4 hour meeting, Medlam shared information on where searchers thought Lucas could be.
After a few restless hours of sleep, Marshburn and his private investigative partner met with Emily Glass and drove her to the area searchers thought the body could be located. After about 5 hours, and about two miles from where they started, Emily led Marshburn to a bridge. There was a wheat field on one side of the bridge. The other side was a pasture with tall grass and weeds in ditches. A little creek flowed nearby. Under the bridge and concealed from view was the 5 year-olds remains. The nearest house was a quarter mile away.
Glass reportedly told the P.I. that she put Lucas to bed Feb. 16th and when she awoke the next morning he was dead.
Glass is charged with interference with law enforcement and obstruction of justice. Additional charges could be filed pending the completion of an autopsy.
Glass had previously been in jail charged with endangering her 1 year-old daughter but was released after a jury acquitted her. However, she did lose custody of the child.
Medlam, the search volunteer told the Wichita Eagle that Marshburn had the right personality for the job. “He’s a very charming, funny, cocky, confident guy, and you feel a connection with him when you meet him.”
Even before Marsburn drove the 1,245 miles to Wichita, he told Medlam he would find the missing boy within 48 hours. “Damned if he didn’t,” she said.
Emily Glass is free from jail on bond while Wichita Police await for toxicology reports from the Kansas coroner’s office.
Now that Marshburn is back in Johnston County he isn’t resting. In addition to working on the Cole Thomas case, he is trying to find Roger Chambers who disappeared on September 4, 2010. Chambers left his home on Army Road in Raeford in Hoke County to travel to Red Springs in Robeson County. Along the way he stopped to speak to an old friend but never made it to his destination. His missing 1993 Toyota Camry was later found. Chambers bank cards were never used. He hasn’t been seen in nearly 8 years. Marshburn thinks it’s a case he might be able to solve and bring closure to the Chambers family.
