Christa Merrill dies in fatal Shinnston incident  

1. Christa Merrill dies in fatal Shinnston incident

Fatal Shinnston incident death of Christa Merrill – Obituary

Authorities in West Virginia have confirmed that human remains discovered at the residence of a known sex offender belong to 34-year-old Christa Merrill, who had been missing since August 2024.

Merrill was last seen dressed in a hoodie and sweatpants, telling her family she would return the next day but never did. Her remains were located at the home of Andrew Debolt during a search warrant execution, with assistance from the FBI.

Debolt, with a history of violent offenses, was previously arrested for a stabbing in Enterprise in November. He also faced charges in a 2019 standoff and was sentenced to federal prison in 2016 on a firearms charge, which referenced prior felony convictions for sexual abuse and domestic violence.

The cause of Merrill’s death has not yet been determined as additional testing is pending.