The Relentless Pursuit of the Truth
A Tribute to Jacqueline Jane Wurst, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class, United States Navy
by
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That Sunday at the Lemoore Naval Air Station Hospital, located in the San Joaquin Valley of central California, began as just a routine day. HM1 Harvey Wade Dwyer, known to everyone as OJ, was the leading Petty Officer in charge of the clinic and he had plenty of paper work which had to be finished. He needed to review and prep his squadron's health records for an upcoming major inspection. Plenty of work to be done and not much time for anything else that day. It was a beautiful day, October 5, 1980---clear, not too hot but still warm for the time of year.
Jackie Wurst, a young hospital corpsman, arrived at the hospital at 11:00 AM to collect meal fees in the mess hall for the noon meal. This was just a little extra job she had in addition to her regular medical duties. Afterwards, she and OJ had lunch together and talked until about 12:30 when they both needed to get on with their day's schedules. Jackie and OJ walked to the ER section of the hospital, they hugged as friends often do, and she walked through the big ER doors, turned and waved, smiled her famous grin and was on her way.
Jackie had a four-hour break before she had to report back to work, and was going off to ride her bike and then study for promotion exams which would be held soon. She and OJ had spent most of the lunch time talking about those exams and she was concerned she wouldn't pass high enough to advance in rank. OJ assured her that if he could pass she certainly could as he felt in comparison he had a "slow brain". He knew she was sharp and quick and he knew for sure she would pass easily.
About 4:45 in the afternoon, the Chief of the Day asked OJ if he knew where Jackie was as she was late for checking in for the evening meal collection. Jackie was never late. A sudden weird feeling was in the pit of OJ's stomach and he went out to drive around the base looking for her. By 6:30 a check with her friends and co-workers revealed she had not been seen or heard from since leaving on her break about 12:30. A phone call to the local Police Department was unproductive since departmental policy at the time required a person to be missing for twenty-four hours before police could become involved and initiate a search. Concern was growing as the hours passed, and those who could leave the clinic drove around the base searching for her. However, no one saw Jackie or her yellow bike.
The following morning, when there was still no word or communication from Jackie, Lt. Commander Willie Ewing, one of the Staff Medical Doctors at the Naval Air Station, organized a search team of about ten available military personnel from the hospital to try and find her. By then they all knew something was drastically wrong, and decided to take it upon themselves to find out why she failed to show up for work or never went home. They concentrated their efforts along the banks of the Kings River as someone mentioned Jackie had previously ridden her bike out there. It was a beautiful area with the river and trees and a nice cool place to relax and study. The Navy people called it the "Marina" although there was not much there, just a place for people to hang out and cool off from the heat, but military people have a way of making the best of what they have when they are far away from home.
In the early afternoon of October 6, 1980, at 12:10 PM, the body of twenty-four year old HM2 Jacqueline Jane Wurst, U.S. Navy, was found by the Navy search party floating in the water near the area of a peaceful looking shady cove of the river. She had been hit on the head twice, and marks on her neck indicated she had been strangled, possibly with a rope, then thrown into the river, just below a knoll with a very large Cottonwood tree beside the bank. Her shorts had been removed and her blouse and undergarments cut away, and there was a piece of rope across her right wrist. Later, Kings County Coroner David Moore reported she died from asphyxiation due to strangulation and she had been sexually assaulted. She also had multiple injuries indicating she had fought viciously for her life to the very end. Her yellow ten-speed bike was still parked where she had left it on top the knoll. Her backpack, books, and watch were found strewn about the area.
The following Thursday a memorial service was held to honor Jackie and to help those who knew her draw strength from each other, and to possibly find an answer to the question they all wanted answered. Why did this happen? The local Navy Chaplain told those in attendance not to consider the length of Jackie's life, but rather the quality. "Some of the most beautiful things on earth don't last long," he said pointing to flowers and sunrises. He added, "God places more importance on the quality than the quantity of life. The best evidence of quality in life is seen when a person is willing to use their life for a good purpose."
Those words rang true again when almost twenty-five years later I contacted Jackie's mother, Phyllis Wurst, and told her I wanted to write a story of Jackie's life as a tribute to her. Her answer together with Jackie's father was a simple "yes"---they wanted their daughter's story told. Again, they pointed out although Jackie's life was short what mattered most was God places more importance on the quality rather than the quantity of life. Those family convictions compelled me to move forward with the story.
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About the Book
On October 5, 1980, Jacqueline Jane Wurst, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class, United States Navy, left the Naval Hospital at the Naval Air Station in Lemoore, California to go on a four-hour break before her next shift. Her body was discovered the next day after having been brutally murdered, sexually assaulted and thrown into the water at the Kings River. The investigation went dormant for over two years, and only because of absolute determination by investigators would her killer be found and finally brought to justice in 1985.
This is a true story of the tragic death of a beautiful, young, caring woman who was victimized on two separate occasions, the last costing her life. The story touches on how HM2 Wurst's life and murder affected her family, her U.S. Navy family and law enforcement investigators.
The Relentless Pursuit of the Truth is an American story of one woman who was beloved by her family and valued by the military she served. The story will hold the reader spellbound, while serving as a tribute to a young woman so loved by all she came in contact with during her short life.
About the Author
Tom spent twenty-eight years with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, NCIS, with overseas assignments for sixteen years in Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, Italy and England. He served as a Special Agent with a specialty of Polygraph Examiner for twenty-five of those years, during which time he earned a legendary reputation. His career in law enforcement has spanned more than forty-five years, and he is currently employed as a Senior Investigator with the Medical Unit of a State Governmental Agency. Tom served in the U.S. Navy attaining the rank of Chief Petty Officer and was later commissioned as a Military Intelligence (MI) Officer with the U.S. Army. His awards include medals from the Japanese Government, the Government of Taiwan, Republic of China, The Vietnam Service Medal, and numerous U.S. Military awards and certificates for outstanding assistance in the resolution of sensitive high level matters. Tom has also received many awards and certificates from State and County agencies for the resolution of criminal matters. Tom is a graduate of St. Mary's College in Moraga, California.
The story of Jackie Wurst is only one of the many homicide cases Tom worked during his career with NCIS. But in this case there were many similarities in both his and Jackie's background; both were from the same state; both with assignments in Japan and northern California during the same timeframe; and both with the same dedication to their respective careers. The more he learned of this compassionate and caring young U.S. Navy Corpsman the more determined he was to solve this horrific crime. As this case became colder and colder he felt compelled to find her killer and bring justice to Jackie and her family. Tom's persistence and constant awareness finally paid off and eventually led to the resolution of this cold case.