A Body in the Basement: Can't Find Her on ID—What really happened to Ashley Young?

A Body in the Basement tracks the 2018 killing of Ashley Young and the investigation that followed in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Police found part of her remains at a Franklin Street building linked to Jared Chance, who was convicted the next year of second-degree murder; her head, hands, and feet were never found.

The re-air of A Body in the Basement, season 2, episode 6, titled Can’t Find Her, is set for Investigation Discovery on Sunday, October 12, at 9 am ET. The original episode first aired on September 9, 2025.

---

What really happened to Ashley Young in A Body in the Basement

Ashley Young was last seen on Nov. 29, 2018, in Grand Rapids. Days later, a search led officers to a basement in the same building as the suspect’s apartment, where a tarp with blood was discovered.

On Dec. 2, 2018, police located Young’s torso in the basement area and found additional remains inside the building. Her head, hands, and feet were not recovered. Investigators collected a reciprocating saw and other items tied to cleanup efforts, according to MLive.

---

Investigation and key evidence in A Body in the Basement

Detectives documented a timeline built from witness accounts, building access, and what was found at the scene. The photo evidence was permitted because prosecutors argued it showed steps taken to hide the crime and supported charges beyond homicide, per CBS Detroit. A separate report noted the medical examiner ruled the death a homicide by undetermined means, as reported by WZZM.

Suspect taken into custody on December 2, 2018 (Image via Pexels)

Officers arrested Jared Chance on December 2, 2018. He was later charged with second-degree murder, mutilation of a dead body, concealing a death, and tampering with evidence. A local outlet detailed the trial start date and the counts ahead of jury deliberations, per WILX.

---

Charges, trial, and sentencing in A Body in the Basement

A Kent County jury convicted Chance of second-degree murder and the related counts in September 2019. He was sentenced to 100 to 200 years in prison. From the bench, Judge Mark Trusock called it the worst case he had handled, according to MLive.

The case did not end there. Chance’s parents, James and Barbara, faced charges tied to actions after the killing. Prosecutors alleged they helped move items that included a saw, cleaning materials, and a cardboard box that contained limbs, and that they misled investigators about stops made while those items were in the car.

Separate charges addressed actions by the defendant’s parents after the killing (Image via Pexels)

James received a month in jail, one year of probation, and 11 months of house arrest with tether monitoring; Barbara received 45 days in jail and one year of probation, as reported by the Holland Sentinel.

Unanswered questions remain part of the public record. Young’s head, hands, and feet have not been found. Her mother has asked anyone with knowledge to come forward, stressing the need to recover the missing remains for burial, as reported by WZZM.

The episode also revisits the early courtroom rulings. Before trial, a judge allowed graphic photos that prosecutors said showed the extent of post-crime efforts, while defense counsel argued the images would be unfairly prejudicial. The ruling stood, and the images were admitted, per CBS Detroit.

---

Where to watch A Body in the Basement

A Body in the Basement airs on Investigation Discovery, with the re-air of Can’t Find Her on Sunday, October 12 at 9 am ET.

The series is also streaming on HBO Max, HBO Max Amazon Channel, Discovery+ Amazon Channel, Philo, Investigation Discovery, Discovery+, and YouTube TV, and can be purchased on Amazon Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. Spectrum On Demand lists select episodes for free with ads.

---