Lake County detective Kim Leibenguth was initially assigned to the Ellen Sloan case. She says that while law enforcement at first did suspect that the woman fled to avoid prosecution, now they’re not so sure. “At first that was true,” Leibenguth says. “Since there’s been no passport (use), no activity on any of her accounts, those types of things, just kind of makes us wonder, you know, maybe she didn’t disappear (of her own volition).” Prior to his hearing on the incest charge, Gholson jumped bail and left the state. Leibenguth says that Lake County never interviewed Gholson about Ellen Sloan’s disappearance. “He took off,” she says.
ÚÚÚ As soon as Barbara Bolick set foot in the Bitterroot Valley, she fell in love with her surroundings. “She said, ‘This is the place I want to be,’” Carl Bolick recalls. In 2001, the couple moved to Corvallis after Carl retired from JP Morgan Chase, where he worked for 17 years, most recently as the assistant director of the firm’s worldwide security operations. Barbara, a natural athlete at 5 feet, 115 pounds, quickly got acquainted with the local hiking trails. Barbara’s fitness—she ran nearly every day—and the fact that she carried a revolver fueled Carl’s disbelief when the Forest Service called to say that she was photo by Cathrine L. Walters missing. “You know what I said, I said, ‘B.S.,’” Carl says. “I thought that if anybody was lost, it would have been her hiking Ravalli County Sheriff Chris Hoffman says that the strange circumstances surrounding Barbara Bolick’s disappearance make it unlike any other case he’s seen in 30 years of law enforcement. “It’s something that I don’t companion.” think we go a week without thinking about,” he says. Ramaker, who was dating Carl’s cousin, Donna Biles, and visiting with her submit a polygraph test prior to leaving the The authorities briefly looked to Carl And we want to get to the bottom of it.” from California, said that he searched the as a person if interest. “At one point (a Ravalli County hasn’t ruled out any Bitterroot. “I think that they could have trail repeatedly after Barbara vanished, even Ravalli County investigator) says, ‘Well, you scenario, Hoffman says. Barbara could done more with him early on,” Carl says, blowing a whistle to draw “before he had the opknow darn well what hap- have decided to leave, or her attention. He said that portunity to get in pened,’” Carl recalls. “It maybe she fell and hurt herhe saw two young men touch with a lawyer.” kind of ticked me off. And self, and somehow the hiking near the overlook Carl notes that for I says, ‘All I know is she search and rescue effort that day. They were never three weeks after Barwent hiking on that failed to find her. The Selidentified. bara went missing, Biles Wednesday morning and way-Bitterroot Wilderness By 5 p.m. on the day called to see if there sprawls across some 2,000 she didn’t come back.’” that Barbara disappeared, were new developThen, as now, there square miles. It would be law enforcement initiated ments. When Biles sugwere more questions than impossible to search the enits own search. Carl argested to another family answers, says Ravalli tire terrain. “If you don’t rived to the trailhead that member that Barbara County Sheriff Chris Hoff- feel about that big in that afternoon and remained could have killed herman, who helped orches- country,” Hoffman says, until midnight. “There self, Carl could no trate the search. In the making a pinching sign was no Barbara,” Carl Barbara Bolick longer stomach mainBitterroot Valley, made up with his fingers, “then Ellen Sloan says. “They couldn’t find taining ties with his of a handful of small com- you’re not seeing it for what hide nor hair of her.” cousin and her boyfriend. munities, such an event unnerves every- it is.” That morning Barbara left with only one, even the investigators who worked “It kind of just, you know, broke up As for Ramaker, Hoffman says that the clothes she wore—khaki shorts and a the case, he says. “I would say that (law en- while he was initially a “person of interest,” the family relationship,” he says. pastel blouse. Her new passport, a driver’s forcement) who worked closest with Carl the department “for the most part ruled Of course Barbara was happy, Carl license and $55 in cash remained at home during that time grieved with Carl and the him out.” says. She was learning to pilot a plane and in Corvallis. A few days after Barbara disappeared, had recently taken up skiing. The couple rest of his family,” he says. Carl theorized that an animal could Hoffman, who’s served in law enforce- Ramaker and Biles returned to California, travelled frequently and was scheduled have taken her, but searchers found no ment for 30 years and is finishing his third as they had planned to do prior to the in- that fall to go on a cruise through the Mexsigns of predators. He wondered if some- four-year term as sheriff, says that the cident. ican Rivera. one could have abducted her, but law en- strange circumstances surrounding BarWhen contacted by the Independent, Carl says he doesn’t want to speculate forcement nixed that idea. “I went on the bara’s disappearance make the case stand about Ramaker’s status as a person of in- Biles, who still lives in California, quickly theory for a while,” Carl says, “that maybe out. “It’s something that I don’t think we terest. He does say, however, that he asks if there was any news to report about she could have been kidnapped by some go a week without thinking about,” he says. wishes that the Ravalli County Sheriff ’s De- Barbara. While she has nothing to say backcountry recluse.” “We don’t like mysteries. We like cold facts. partment took Ramaker up on his offer to about her relationship with her cousin, she
[16] Missoula Independent • January 23–January 30, 2014
does express frustration about the lack of closure in Barbara’s disappearance. As for Ramaker, he reiterates what he told law enforcement: “I’ve never laid a hand on Barbara,” he says. “I never harmed her in any way.” Ramaker adds that he empathizes with the Bolick family’s loss. He, too, wishes that he knew where Barbara went. After all, it’s not easy being labeled “a person of interest” in a missing person investigation. “I’ve had a cloud over my head since 2007,” Ramaker says.
ÚÚÚ If anyone understands what Carl Bolick, Jake Sloan and other friends and family members of missing persons are going through, it’s Monica Caison. Known as “the searcher,” Caison founded the nonprofit Community United Effort Center for Missing Persons in 1994 to help find those who have disappeared and support their families during the search. Her North Carolina-based nonprofit and its network of unpaid volunteers has helped more than 9,000 families during “what is often the most confusing and desperate times of their lives,” with Caison personally involved much of the time. The CUE Center hotline rings directly to her cellphone. “I don’t really consider it a business,” Caison says. “I consider it a calling.” Since starting CUE, Caison has seen all types of cases, from successful searches to faked disappearances. Those cases that remain unresolved, like Barbara Bolick’s and Ellen Sloan’s, can take a heavy toll on loved ones. Caison says second-guessing among family and friends is completely normal. They often feel confused, desperate, stuck and unable to move on. “A missing person’s family is thrown into this hurricane, if you will, with no tools, no guidance and not even a flashlight,” Caison says. CUE’s goal is to provide the tools and emotional support otherwise lacking. The nonprofit specializes in free search and recovery services, and acts as a counselor of last resort for the loved ones of people with unknown whereabouts. Caison says she has roughly 10,000 volunteers from across the nation who attend CUE-facilitated courses on search and rescue tactics and investigatory skills. The organization accepts between 800 and 1,500 cold cases annually, with some dating back to the 1980s. Most recently, Caison says she had a crew in Blanca, Colo., searching wooded areas for a man named Casey Berry, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances on Valentine’s Day in 2007. Caison estimates that nearly half of her organization’s membership is composed of people who have lost a loved one through circumstances such as homicide, kidnapping or to the unknown. Those personal connections to loss help make CUE members uniquely equipped to provide support and guidance. Many of