A Carroll, Iowa woman who was last seen on May 4 remains missing, despite intense searches and other efforts to turn up clues. Carroll Police Chief Jeff Cayler says the investigation into what happened to 50-year-old Dawn Allen is at a standstill.
“Absent to specific information that would lead us to an area to conduct searches, we’ve suspended the active search,” Cayler told Radio Iowa. Investigators believe foul play is involved in Allen’s disappearance as the man they sought for questioning in the case killed himself.
Fifty-four-year-old James Snovelle of Rolfe, who’d been dating Allen, took his own life on May 9 as officers chased him down on a rural property in Coffey County, Kansas. Sheriff Cayler says if Snovelle killed Allen, investigators haven’t been able to determine a motive.
“That’s one of the huge frustrations, not only for us, but for the family, is where is she? And, if he did do something to her, why? What triggered him?” Cayler said.
“The information that we had in the form of texts and comments from friends, relatives and coworkers was that everything seemed to be going well and they seemed to get alone fine.” Searches of the property in Kansas and a seven county area in Iowa have failed to turn up any sign of Allen.
“Those questions that are still kind of hanging out there are largely unanswered and may never be answered,” Cayler said. Allen worked at a Subway restaurant in Carroll for 21 years. She was reported missing on May 5 after failing to show up for work.