Four month search ends for woman found beneath clutter in home

Las Vegas - Billie Jean James was reported missing on April 12. Her purse, wallet, phone and vehicle were still in her home so it was assumed she walked away. Searches of the home, neighborhood and the desert did not turn up anything.

Las Vegas, NV---After searching for four months, passing out fliers and offering a reward James's body has been found under the clutter in her home. The husband of James, Bill James has been cleaning out the clutter in one of the rooms of the house for the last month. Police said James has filled a 40-cubic-yard industrial trash container two times with newspapers, boxes and other material. While cleaning he saw under the clutter his wife's shoes sticking out and he was sure it was her. Even though patrol dogs had searched the house at least three times they never picked up her scent. Las Vegas Review-Journal reports officer Bill Cassell, a department spokesman and a former K-9 officer said, "Dogs did search the entire house. This house was so full of possessions that movement inside of the house was restricted and in some cases very difficult. Visual searching was impossible." Nothing was ever moved in the two houses the couple owned, Cassel added, "There was never an indication that was needed. We're not going to start tearing somebody's house apart unless we believe there's a need for that to happen." Family friends said Billie Jean James was a compulsive hoarder. She liked going to thrift stores to buy clothing and other objects. Cassell said there were "a lot of ambient odors in the house." He said there were garbage bags with rotting food, stacks and piles of clothing as well as animal odors. These odors kept the police dogs from being able to smell what was needed to find James. Ktnv.com reports Bill James is upset with the people who have been criticizing their life style. He said the reports and things that have been said are exaggerated. James wants his 67-year-old wife to be remembered as someone who loved to hike, and not a compulsive collector. James said,"Yes there was clutter in the house and yes we found Billie underneath some stuff. But what people are saying….It's just trying to inflame things and it's very disrespectful to her."