FAIRMONT CITY, Ill. – Nearly four months after 32-year-old Joshua Amos went missing, Illinois State Police have reopened the search.
On Tuesday, enforcement was joined by countless community members for hours, searching through the place where he went missing. Still, the family is left without answers.
“Think to yourself: if this was my child, if this was my dad, if this was my brother, my cousin, you would want to know; we deserve answers,” said Christina Marek, Amos’s mother.
Around 150 people searched on a rainy, humid day for Amos. He was last seen early morning on March 19, walking and intoxicated, after a night out with friends in Washington Park.
“It was only about 18 degrees outside, he didn’t have a coat on,” Marek said.
She said he was walking around for several hours in those conditions.
The search commenced early Tuesday not far from Ee-Jay Motor Transports, a trucking company, where a security camera showed the last place Amos was spotted.
“On the camera, he was seen walking on the east, we do know there is a church on the end of Lincoln, where he did not show up there,” said Chief Brad White with the O’Fallon Fire Rescue.
Amos was also seen through surveillance at the MetroLink station in Emerson. He was wearing dark blue jeans, a light grey RVCA crew neck long-sleeve shirt, and black Adidas tennis shoes.
After the story picked up some media attention, Illinois State Police reopened the search.
The area where volunteers and police search for Joshua Amos. Courtesy of Chief Brad White for O’Fallon Fire Rescue
The Facebook page, BringJoshHome, has over 9,000 followers, looking to help and sending in images that may serve relevance to the investigation. They take anonymous tips, and anything leading to a break in the case, which now has a reward of $10,000.
“We just came out for support, to do what we can to help them, and hopefully get some closure for the family,” said Kelseigh Boggs,
She was one of many supporters who came out searching nearby roads, woods, and abandoned houses.
“The wooded areas and the terrain was very thick with vegetation this time of year,” White said.” Discovered a lot of things out there but none of them ended up being Josh.”
Marek said it’s been a struggle for his family.
“It’s staying strong for his two little girls, they miss their daddy,” she said.
Marek hopes her son is still alive.
“Please call, your girls need you, I need you, your brothers and sister have been looking nonstop,” she said. “I just love you so much, and we need you back.”