This week’s Flashback Friday is John Jay Ashley Jr., who was addressed by his middle name. He disappeared from Wilmington, Delaware on December 14, 1971, at the age of eighteen and a half. Unfortunately I don’t have much on the circumstances of his disappearance, except for a curious thing: another boy, aged seventeen, disappeared from Wilmington on the same night. He turned up, drowned, in February 1972.
It would be interesting to see if authorities believe Jay Ashley also drowned, or if his case is connected to the other one. From what little information I have, it seems unlikely that they were. Yes, it’s a bit strange that two boys almost the same age disappeared from that city on the same night, but the other boy’s death doesn’t seem to have been foul play, and Wilmington’s not exactly a tiny hamlet or anything. I found this chart that says the population in 1970 was 80,000 and change.
So what happened to Jay Ashley on that cold night over forty years ago? I doubt we’ll ever know.
The Charley Project Blog 
Reading these two cases make me wonder if possibly Jay Ashley had something to do with the other boy drowning and fled? Could be totally out in left field but stranger things have happened. Either way, hope his family finds out where he is today.
Does anyone know the name of the other boy?
Wish I did.
Meaghan, I apologize for leaving this here, but Hotmail is frenched up and shows no sign of stopping. It is not just me, I’ve been to several sites where they detail not being able to access from late Dec. onward, which is how it is with me. Tried several “fixes” and they haven’t worked, if they don’t soon I’ll have to get another addy though not sure how to retrieve my old files. ANYWAY. Not sure if this is one on your docket or not, but heard that Melvin Reine Sr. passed away in Nov. 2013. Suspect in several disappears/ murders including first wife Wanda. Sorry bout posting here, I owe you an email but I hate outlook/Hotmail, and they hate me!!!!!!
Sorry to hear about your email probs. I hope you can get back into your old email eventually. I recommend switching to Gmail.
Meaghan, You could try contacting Hal G. Brown, Deputy Director Delaware State Medical Examiners Office
Phone: (302)577-3420 ext. 206
E-mail: hal.brown@state.de.us
Or you can find Hal’s Facebook page on mine
I’m in delaware and cant find the other guy who went missing. Little backwards place
This case is so weird there is no info at all on John or the name of the other kid that disappeared on the same night
I have tried google all types of different things nothing at all comes up I know it was 1971 so maybe not much on the internet because of how long ago it was
But there is no family interviews quotes nothing to go on it’s like it was never investigated he just did not up and vanish a 18 city kid was not able to get to far on his own in the 70’s
Has anyone had any luck finding more info ?