MT - James Hurley, 12, tortured to death, W. Yellowstone, Feb 2020 grandparents & uncle arrested #1

[Trudie]

I wonder if the mother had a different significant other and that could be where the name Hurley came from, ie named before he went back to stay with father Tommy Tate, who was the biological child of Batts. Had Batts been married previously to somebody named Tate? Anyway not sleuthing the Mom, just wondering where all these names came from.

My head is reeling. So you think Tommy Tate might not be the bio dad?

 

[Trudie]

Maybe he is seen in the background in some of the videos, and as the father of the 14 year old son he should have stopped him.

I wonder if he traveled for work?

 

[Trudie]

James Alexander Hurley

“many more uncles, aunts and cousins who loved him dearly.”

Wishing one of them had taken James into their home instead.

I noticed he had both ears pierced in the picture.

With James loved by so many how did his condition go unnoticed?

 

[NuttMegg]

Lol, let me think about what you’re saying.....
Who is the Jr?
Maybe I missed an article or two that referred to someone as Jr. Tysm

APPARENTLY
There was a man named James Danny Sasser, out of this picture.
He had a son and named him James Danny Sasser Jr. (If he had named his son after some other guy in the family the name would be Herbert Archibald Sasser II. (for example)
So James Danny Sasser Jr. is the grandfather (of Hurley) in this case, charged
His son, since he is a III Must be James Danny Sasser III.
IMO

 

[NuttMegg]

My head is reeling. So you think Tommy Tate might not be the bio dad?

Just trying to figure out where the name Hurley could have come from without sleuthing Mom. Actually in this model INVENTED scenario, Tate would be the bio Dad.
For example, if a woman got pregnant from a guy, Tommy Tate for example.
And if that was not a serious relationship or if he took off, and she married with so and so Hurley. And named her kid with that surname because it was the current and possible permanent spouse. (I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS HAPPENED!!)
Then, for some reason the bio father of the boy wanted the boy to come live with him. (Could be a morass of reasons here), and therefore James Alex Hurley could have gone to live with his real father Tommy Tate, who soon died. And for that tragic reason poor James MAY HAVE ended up with his father's relatives.

All of this is conjecture, just a way to explain hypothetically how he could have received the name Hurley.

I think I need some coffee. At least there aren't a bunch of hyphens here.

 

[Trudie]

Good job! So are you under the impression grandpa S is a brother to Tommy Tate? Maybe a half bro, hence dif names?

Just trying to figure out where the name Hurley came from without sleuthing Mom. Actually in this model scenario, Tate would be the bio Dad.
For example, if a woman got pregnant from a guy, Tommy Tate for example.
And if that was not a serious relationship or if he took off, and she married with so and so Hurley. And named her kid with that surname because it was the current and possible permanent spouse. (I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS HAPPENED!!)
Then, for some reason the bio father of the boy wanted the boy to come live with him. (Could be a morass of reasons here), and therefore James Alex Hurley could have gone to live with his real father Tommy Tate, who soon died. And for that tragic reason poor James MAY HAVE ended up with his father's relatives.

All of this is conjecture, just a way to explain hypothetically how he could have received the name Hurley.

 

[NuttMegg]

Good job! So are you under the impression grandpa S is a brother to Tommy Tate? Maybe a half bro, hence dif names?

I am confusing even myself, but I don't think so. If Sasser Jr, the grandfather is a brother to Tate, that would mean that Batts had son Tate, and somehow also married his older 1/2 bro Sasser Jr.
Maybe they are using the words uncle and aunt liberally in this case. Maybe Sasser Jr is not a blood relative at all of James Hurley, nor are his children.

OK so maybe Batts was married to someone named Tate.
Had son Tommy Tate, who fathered a child but somehow it was named after someone else ie Hurley.
Then she possibly hooked up with Sasser Jr, we don't even know if they are married, do we? If they are married those uncles and the aunt could be steps to James Hurley, no?

I really am confused, just kind of puzzling this out. It's all probably on the internet somewhere and Batts and Sasser Jr are already in custody and charged with serious crime, so I think they can be sleuthed (?)

 

[Niner]

To add to the confusion on names - I saw an article where Patricia Batts was referred to as Patricia Sasser....

 

[cocomod]

To add to the confusion on names - I saw an article where Patricia Batts was referred to as Patricia Sasser....

That is her name on FB. I think that is her now married name. She and Sasser have 3 kids together.

 

[NuttMegg]

That is her name on FB. I think that is her now married name. She and Sasser have 3 kids together.

So then the 3 Sasser children would be half siblings to the deceased Tommy Tate, same mother, different fathers, I think. So what would be the term for James Hurley to them? Is there such a thing as half uncle?

 

[mickey2942]

Vigil planned for West Yellowstone boy who was killed

Vigil planned. Isn't that nice.

West Yellowstone is so small, everyone knows everyone. I am sure people may have seen something and decided to just MYOB. That is tragic.

 

[bears10]

So then the 3 Sasser children would be half siblings to the deceased Tommy Tate, same mother, different fathers, I think. So what would be the term for James Hurley to them? Is there such a thing as half uncle?

I have half siblings, but we don't call each other "half", we are just brothers and sisters. I am just "auntie" to their kids. I suppose I am technically their "half aunt", but the thought never crossed my mind before. Interesting

 

[NuttMegg]

I have half siblings, but we don't call each other "half", we are just brothers and sisters. I am just "auntie" to their kids. I suppose I am technically their "half aunt", but the thought never crossed my mind before. Interesting

Me too, step sister, daughter of my stepmother, adopted by my Dad. So does that make her my "sister"? That's what we call each other. Her kids are my nephews.
I guess it was all the different names that caused the tangent.

 

[bears10]

Me too, step sister, daughter of my stepmother, adopted by my Dad. So does that make her my "sister"? That's what we call each other. Her kids are my nephews.
I guess it was all the different names that caused the tangent.

Not a tangent; just interesting that I never thought about the half-aunt thing until this stage in my life lol.

The amount of different last names has made things really confusing. Very hard to keep track of who's who.

 

[Trudie]

I am confusing even myself, but I don't think so. If Sasser Jr, the grandfather is a brother to Tate, that would mean that Batts had son Tate, and somehow also married his older 1/2 bro Sasser Jr.
Maybe they are using the words uncle and aunt liberally in this case. Maybe Sasser Jr is not a blood relative at all of James Hurley, nor are his children.

OK so maybe Batts was married to someone named Tate.
Had son Tommy Tate, who fathered a child but somehow it was named after someone else ie Hurley.
Then she possibly hooked up with Sasser Jr, we don't even know if they are married, do we? If they are married those uncles and the aunt could be steps to James Hurley, no?

I really am confused, just kind of puzzling this out. It's all probably on the internet somewhere and Batts and Sasser Jr are already in custody and charged with serious crime, so I think they can be sleuthed (?)

I’m laughing as I read this, idk how you typed all this out.
Whew.

okay, to everyone reading here, I’m shocked anyone even called LE. This is a most heinous crime, the kind a lot of people might try to cover up.

 

[Dave F.]

@Dave F. I know you are local, please tell us James will get justice in the MT court system.

There is no doubt that they are all going to be convicted, and will serve the rest of their lives in prison. The prosecution doesn't need any of them to turn on each other, because they have films of all of them participating in the torture. Their only ray of hope is that it's Gallatin County, which is the richest and second most liberal county in the state. Under Montana's sliding scale, a Celestial Seasonings Tea Jury could let them off easy, serving 30 plus years or so. Montana has not executed anyone in a long time. I'm not sure we even remember how to do it. IMO, IANAL

 

[Trudie]

@Dave F. Do you think this will move thru the system sooner or later? Also, is it such a small area a change of venue will be necessary? Is why any of the 4 would proceed to trial if the evidence against them is as reported.

Such an outrageous case, James was helpless to help himself......evidently not one person thought to check on him.

 

[bears10]

I’m laughing as I read this, idk how you typed all this out.
Whew.

okay, to everyone reading here, I’m shocked anyone even called LE. This is a most heinous crime, the kind a lot of people might try to cover up.

I am surprised they called LE too. I bet the grandma figured she could make the 14 year old take the fall and he would get off easy because of his age. They don't seem like the brightest family.

 

[Trudie]

I am surprised they called LE too. I bet the grandma figured she could make the 14 year old take the fall and he would get off easy because of his age. They don't seem like the brightest family.

I’d like to see some more photos, maybe hear from a former schoolmate or a teacher. Someone had to be curious about James!
**ita they must not be the brightest......Jmo

 

[Dave F.]

@Dave F. Do you think this will move thru the system sooner or later? Also, is it such a small area a change of venue will be necessary? Is why any of the 4 would proceed to trial if the evidence against them is as reported.

Such an outrageous case, James was helpless to help himself......evidently not one person thought to check on him.

Traditionally, change of venue seems to be granted in Montana ONLY when it's a small town and the victim had community standing. West Yellowstone is a unique spot that really exists in it's own world at the extreme southern end of Gallatin county, while the bulk of the county population is in the northern part, is very diverse, and not particularly connected to West Yellowstone in any significant way. I can't see a change of venue happening. JMO, IANAL