GALLIPOLIS — After nearly three months of extensive searching by land, air and boat, local law enforcement say no new clues have been uncovered as to the whereabouts of a missing Gallia County woman.
Gallia County Sheriff Joe Browning reported Tuesday that the search for Sharon Yoczik, 68, has continued since her reported disappearance on Friday, March 22.
According to Browning, Yoczik was initially reported missing March 22 by her husband who returned home to find her missing from their residence on Neighborhood Road. Investigators received information that the missing woman was spotted walking along Ohio 7 near the intersection with Ohio 218 on the Thursday evening before her reported disappearance.
A search with canine assistance along this portion of the Ohio River yielded a pair of eyeglasses along the riverbank believed to have belonged to Yoczik. Browning reported that the eyeglass prescription, as well as the type of eyeglasses, were later matched by a local optometrist to the eyeglasses worn by Yoczik.
The eyeglasses have remained the only reported trace of Yoczik uncovered by police since her disappearance.
Due to this evidence and other factors, the sheriff stated that, along with ground searches near her home, the multi-agency search for Yoczik has continued along the Ohio River south of Gallipolis with the help of countless volunteers.
However, despite extensive ground searches, blood hounds, helicopters, organized volunteers and even help from organizations like the National Underwater Rescue and Recovery Institution, Yoczik’s whereabouts remain a mystery.
“We have been using every possible investigative resource to locate Sharon, including Ohio BCI [Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification] and volunteer search teams, and thus far, have not located her,” said Browning. “We need information from the community if they know anything that could help our case.”
Yoczik has been described by investigators as a white female, five feet, two inches tall and approximately 120 pounds. She has blue eyes and grey hair.
Browning further encouraged property owners near the Ohio 7/Ohio 218 area to check around their property lines for possible clues to Yoczik’s disappearance.
Anyone with information about Yoczik is encouraged to contact Gallia County Sheriff’s Office dispatchers immediately at (740) 446-1221 or the tip line at (740) 446-6555.
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