The remains of a woman who was missing for six months were found in the house of a registered sex offender in West Virginia.
Christa Merrill, 34, was last seen last summer in Clarksburg in the north of the state. Her body was identified on January 29 in the house in nearby Shinnston.
Harrison County Sheriff's Office told DailyMail.com that the house was on 720 Owings Road. Property Records show that Andrew Neal is alive at the address.
Debolt is mentioned as a registered sex offender and is currently being held in the Salem Correctional Center (SCC) with a probation service that will hear later this year.
Merrill, from Fairmont, West Virginia, told family members that she would meet them in her hometown on 27 August at 3 p.m., but she never showed up.
Her desperate family and friends have plastered the city with posters of missing people in the hope of finding her during the summer and autumn of last year.
But their worst fears were confirmed this week. Harrison County Sheriff's Office said they had been informed on Tuesday that she had been identified in Shinnston's house.
The cause of death of Merrill was not disclosed because the autopsy results are awaiting. Deboltt has not been charged with regard to the case.
Christa Merrill, 34, shown above, was last seen in Clarksburg in the north of the State on August 27. Her body was identified on January 29 in the house in nearby Shinnston
Harrison County Sheriff's Office told DailyMail.com that the house was on 720 Owings Road. Property Records show that Andrew Neal Debolt (photo) lives at the address
Debolt is mentioned as a registered sex offender and is currently being held in the Salem Correctional Center (SCC) with a probation session planned for later this year
The West Virginia-Man, in his early 1940s, has at least three police mugshots and data shows that in October 2005 he was convicted of sexual abuse of the first degree.
He led police officers on a chase by Woodland in December 2019 after he had violated his accompanying conditions by leaving his house at night, according to local news items.
Deboltt used a utility supply vehicle next to each other when he was detected by the police, and he almost hit their patrol car when they tried to arrest him, according to CBS-connected WDTV.
He fled to the report of an 'employee' according to the report, where the police again attracted him. Debolt refused to surrender and told the police that he had a female hostage.
Following approximately an hour and a half with the police, Debolt eventually surrendered. The female 'hostage' seemed to be unharmed and also surrendered.
Merrill from Fairmont, West Virginia, told family members that she would meet them in her hometown at 27 hours at 3 p.m., but she never showed up. Her remains were identified last week
According to People Magazine, he is currently also confronted with charges for the alleged abuse of a man at a post office in November.
Merrill also has earlier arrests. It was held for disorderly behavior, disturbing peace and public intoxication on August 20, 2024 – a week before she was missing.
Dailymail.com has contacted the Harrison County Sheriff office for more information.
