Montrose, COLO.— On May 27, 1999, Mr. Dale Williams was reported as a missing person to the Nucla Marshal’s Office. The investigation was then assumed by the Montrose County Sheriff’s Office on July 4, 1999, which was the same day that Mr. Williams’ truck was found fully submerged in the muddy waters at the confluence of the Dolores and San Miguel Rivers.
Since that date, numerous law enforcement agencies including the Montrose County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have been involved in this investigation.
“There have been countless interviews and hundreds of hours of investigation poured into this case. It has taken an entire team effort of law enforcement, family and concerned citizens to bring the case to where it is at today. We are grateful for the in-depth investigation over the last 25 years by the Agents of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and Investigators and Deputies of the Montrose County Sheriff’s Office,” said Montrose County Sheriff Gene R. Lillard.
On October 14, 2024 an arrest warrant affidavit was written by Agent Brandon Ludwig of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and later reviewed and signed by the Honorable Montrose County Court Judge Laura Harvell.
Bail was set at $1,000,000.00 cash-only for the arrest of James Daniel Bishop for Murder in the First Degree in violation of C.R.S 18-3-102 (1)(a) as amended a Class 1 Felony.
On Oct. 17, 2024, James Daniel Bishop was arrested by Montrose County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Chuck Searcy, U.S. Marshal’s Service and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation in Naturita, Colo., without incident.
The Montrose County Sheriff’s Office is grateful to the investigators, the community, and the Williams family for their tireless efforts to begin the closure process for a case that has affected us all.
Montrose County Sheriff Gene R. Lillard
