Information sought in disappearance

BERRYVILLE -- Authorities are looking into the disappearance of 24-year-old Chris Helmlinger, who was last seen by his mother Karla Davis at her Cedarvale home in Berryville in late September.

Capt. Alan Hoos, with the Carroll County Sheriff's Office, said Davis contacted authorities on Oct. 4 after her son failed to show up at his grandmother's home in the Pension Mountain area south of Berryville the evening of Sept. 27.

He was reported to be at her Cedarvale home after church that Sunday, and departed on foot that evening, believed to be walking to the Pension Mountain home where he lived with his grandmother, Betty Davis, but he didn't show up and hasn't been seen since.

Hoos said information gathered during the initial investigation revealed that Helmlinger had a history of going off by himself for a few days without telling anyone, but it was unusual for him to be gone for weeks.

Hoos said it was also revealed that Helmlinger had a vehicle, he was current on payments, but had recently turned it back in to the car lot where it was purchased.

The investigation, headed up by CCSO Investigator David Deatherage, included interviews with family and friends, Hoos said.

The only lead so far, he noted, is a tip Helmlinger's mother received from someone saying her son had been seen in the Berryville area with a blonde woman.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Helmlinger is asked to call the sheriff's office at (870) 423-2901.