Iowa Attorney General
01/22/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/22/2026 15:57
Attorney General Bird’s Iowa Cold Case Unit Announces Murder Charge for the 2020 Disappearance of Christian Balke-Thompson
DES MOINES-Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird today announced an arrest for the murder of Christian Balke-Thompson who disappeared in 2020. The Iowa Cold Case unit helped investigate the case. Attorney General Bird launched the statewide unit in July 2024.
Christian Balke-Thompson, 26, of Carroll, Iowa, was last seen in the early morning hours of May 2, 2020. On the evening of May 4, 2020, a vehicle believed to be his was found burned in a shed in the 22300 block of 150th Street, about five miles north of Carroll.
His disappearance was reported to the Rockwell City Police Department. Over the years, investigators pursued numerous leads and conducted searches, but Balke-Thompson was never found. The Iowa Cold Case unit was able to assist with a focused team to meet with witnesses and pursue leads in the case.
"This arrest is a milestone in securing justice for Christian Balke-Thompson and his family," said Attorney General Bird. "No one should get away with murder, and no family should have to wait for answers. I'm deeply grateful for the hard work of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Carroll County Sheriff's Department, the Carroll County Attorney's Office, and our Cold Case Unit that led to this arrest."
Albert John Wolfe, a 33-year-old man from Lanesboro, Iowa, was arrested on January 22, 2026. He is charged with First Degree Murder.
The investigating agencies were assisted by the Rockwell City Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, Webster County Attorney's Office, and Iowa Search and Rescue K9.
A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The Iowa Attorney General's Office and Carroll County Attorney's Office will prosecute the case in Carroll County. The investigation into Christian Balke-Thompson's case is still active.
Read the complaint here.
Any Iowan who would like to submit a cold case tip can contact the Iowa Attorney General's office at 1-800-242-5100 or [email protected].
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Jen Green
Iowa Attorney General published this content on January 22, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 22, 2026 at 21:57 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]