Law enforcement officials began searching a site in Clifton this morning for remains of Jimmy Blevins, a Crumpler man missing for more than two years.

Blevins is believed to be a victim of admitted triple murderer, Freddie P. Hammer, his uncle by marriage. Hammer is currently serving five consecutive life sentences for the murders of Frederick and Ronald Hudler, and farm employee John S. Miller on Jan. 24, 2008 on a Grassy Creek tree farm.

Ashe County Sheriff James Williams, deputies and State Bureau of investigation officials were on the scene in Clifton by 10 a.m. today. They had with them a trackhoe at the site a short way off Highway 88.

Shortly before 2 p.m. an SBI Mobile Crime Scene Lab arrived and entered the site. A deputy guards entry to the location, and Williams has made no reports.

The sheriff said Monday that he believe authorities were within days of finding the remains.

The effort to locate Blevins made a critical turn last week, Williams said. “We have interviewed him (Hammer) at the Powhatan Correctional Unit in Virginia where he is now, and as a result of that, we expect to recover that body and bring charges against him.”

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