Golliher search surpasses one year

FORT MADISON – The search for a military veteran from Fort Madison continues to puzzle Fort Madison police.

Christopher Golliher, Jr., 37, of Fort Madison has been missing since Feb. 3, 2022 and local law enforcement have had several leads and conducted multiple searches for Golliher, but have come up empty.

Fort Madison Police Detective Dakota Worley said he hopes continued attention to the case will turn up some leads that help locate the former marine.

Golliher was reported missing by his mother Michelle Shelton of Keokuk on Feb. 7, after hearing from his roommates that the man had left his home without a coat, his wallet, or any belongings.

Golliher had been sharing a residence with two other people in the 2000 block of Avenue E in Fort Madison. He served two four-year tours of service in Afghanistan and was on full disability after an honorable discharge from the service.

Worley said police are investigating the leads as they come up.

"We canvassed some areas and checked a lot of the creeks,” Worley said.

He said they cannot talk in depth about the case because of the ongoing investigation.

The Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation is also involved in the search for Golliher.

“We haven’t gone over what we can and can’t disclose publicly,” Worley said.

Detective Bryson Hennigar said Golliher’s bank account is all accounted for and no activity there is leading police to his possible whereabouts.

A GoFundMe page has been set up Golliher’s mother Michelle Shelton. Those interested in donating to the effort to find Golliher can do so by going to GoFundingMe and search “Let’s Find Missing Marine”.

Shelton said she’s trying to raise funds to create a reward for information leading to the location of her son.

“Someone has information and I’m trying to find answers,” Shelton wrote on the GoFundMe page.

Hennigar said they are still treating the case, which is now in its 13^th month, as a missing person.

“Until there’s proof of a homicide, it’s a missing person. Depending on what’s found, it can revamp into a different form of investigation,” Worley said.

Hennigar said FMPD used a K9 officer in a search but couldn’t disclose where those searches took place.

He said something regarding the case lands on their desk about once a week.

“I would say that at least once a week, the Golliher case gets touched. There’s obviously other cases, but we're bouncing around a lot of information,” Worley said.

Hennigar said he speaks frequently with Shelton about the case.

“We’re not looking for a needle in a haystack,” Hennigar said. “We’re looking for the haystack. We have no idea where he is, otherwise this would be a totally different investigation.”

Worley said Golliher has ties to many communities and there’s difficulty investigating across state lines.

Worley and Hennigar both have had communication with other communities in and around the state, but haven’t gotten anything concrete.

Hennigar is asking everyone to check any vacant buildings or abandoned properties for anything evidentiary that might help with the investigation.

“Just give it a look over to make sure you don’t see anything of evidentiary value,” he said.

Police are encouraging anyone with information to contact Fort Madison Police or contact CrimeStoppers at 319-376-1090.