34-Year-Old Missing Woman Found Dead in Home of West Virginia Se*x Offender

Human remains discovered at a Shinnston, West Virginia, residence have been identified as those of Christa Merrill, a 34-year-old woman from Fairmont who was reported missing six months ago. The remains were found during a search of the property on January 29, according to Harrison County Sheriff Robert Matheny II.

The cause of death remains undetermined, with further testing required to establish the circumstances surrounding her tragic end. Merrill was last seen in northern Clarksburg in late August 2023. She had told family members she would meet them in Fairmont at 3 p.m. on August 27 but never arrived. Her disappearance prompted an extensive search, with loved ones distributing missing person posters throughout the community in hopes of finding her, told WSAZ.

The property where her remains were discovered, located at 720 Owings Road, is registered to Andrew Neal Debolt, a registered sex offender currently detained at the Salem Correctional Center. Debolt, in his early forties, is awaiting a probation hearing later this year. He has a criminal history that includes a 2005 conviction for first-degree sexual abuse and a 2016 federal firearms charge, which stemmed from his prior felony convictions barring him from possessing a gun.

Debolt’s most recent arrest followed a dramatic standoff in December 2019, when he breached his supervised release conditions and led police on a chase through the woods. According to CBS affiliate WDTV, Debolt was driving a utility vehicle and nearly collided with a patrol car while attempting to evade capture. He later barricaded himself in an associate’s home, claiming to have a female hostage.

After an hour-and-a-half standoff, Debolt surrendered, and the woman, unharmed, was safely taken into custody. Merrill’s own history includes an arrest on August 20, 2023, just a week before her disappearance. She was charged with disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, and public intoxication.

However, her family and friends have emphasized that her disappearance was entirely out of character, sparking widespread concern in the community. As investigators work to determine the cause of Merrill’s death, the discovery of her remains has brought a grim resolution to a months-long search.

The case has drawn attention to Debolt’s troubled past and raised questions about the events leading up to Merrill’s disappearance. For now, her loved ones are left to mourn her loss while awaiting answers from law enforcement.