‘It’s not Christmas’ for family of marine missing since Dec. 2

CLEMENTON — For the family of South Jersey's Lance James, this is a painful Christmas — but not one without hope.

"It's not Christmas when Lance James is still missing," his sister, Jessica Hassan wrote on Facebook. "Hoping for that miracle today."

James, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, has been missing since Dec. 2.

That night, the 29-year-old went to the Hide-A-Way Tavern but was escorted out after some sort of altercation with a fellow patron, according to a GoFundMe page posted by his sister, seeking to raise money for reward money that could be used to help find him.

Clementon police told James to go home, though his jacket and cell phone were still in the bar, according to the page. James does not own a car, so he left on foot and was later seen on surveillance video about a block from his apartment, it says.

"Lance never made it home that night. It’s almost like he completely vanished. He did not show up for work, call out or pick up his pay check. Lance did not reach out to anyone by any means, neither friends or family have heard from him since.  Lance does not own a car,” his sister wrote.

In the time since, the GoFundMe page has reached its goal of $5,000. According to the family, a "mass community search" took place on Christmas Eve — involving search and rescue dogs, drones and several volunteers. But still, James remains missing.

State Police are earlier searched three area lakes for clues, NJ.com reported.

James, who served a year each in Iraq and Afghanistan before leaving the Marines in 2012, suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, his sister said on the GoFundMe,

James is approximately 5 feet and 8 inches tall, 180 pounds, with brown hair, a reddish-brown beard and tattoos. He has a 5-year-old daughter who lives with her mother.

Family members ask that anyone with information contact Detective Barber at the Camden County Prosecutors Office, at 609-575-6104.

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