Suvechha Sarkar
Sierah Catherine Joughin was a college student with a promising life ahead of her. However, everything turned upside down when she went missing on July 19, 2016. Her remains were discovered three days later, sending shockwaves through the community of Metamora, Ohio. The grave loss left not only her family grief-stricken but also her boyfriend, Joshuah Kolasinski, completely shattered. ABC’s ’20/20: She Was Almost Home’ sheds light on the details of the investigation and how justice was eventually served. It also features emotional interviews with her loved ones, among whom is Josh, the final person to have seen her.
Josh Kolasinski Was Thinking of a Future With Sierah Joughin When He Suddenly Lost Her
Joshuah Kolasinski, AKA Josh, and Sierah Catherine Joughin were just six years old when they first met. They grew up together as family friends, and by the time high school came around, they became inseparable. Whether it was going skydiving or going to parties together, they always spent every possible moment with one another. Their unwavering love had grown naturally, so by the time they were in college, they were even speaking about marriage and a future together. Josh and Sierah had been romantically involved for almost seven years and were studying at the same university by the time the summer of 2016 rolled around. However, their perfect life changed forever on July 19, shortly after she had visited his home on her bicycle despite it being 6 miles away. After spending some time together, she set out to return to her grandparents’ home, where she was living for the summer. Josh had accompanied her on his motorcycle for 3 miles, even capturing videos of her, before turning back after 6:43 pm at her behest.
Around three miles away from her home, Josh and Sierah parted ways. However, when Josh could not reach her that night, he informed her mother, Sheila Vaculik. What followed was a missing person investigation. It uncovered her bike, a pair of men’s sunglasses, a screwdriver, and fuses at a cornfield along Country Road 6, near her home. As the investigation progressed, they found a man named James Dean Worley. They found several suspicious items like a buried freezer in his barn, zip-lock bags containing female undergarments, tube tops, duct tape, and many other similar items. Ultimately, on July 22, 2016, Sierah’s remains were discovered in a shallow grave at the cornfield in Fulton County, Ohio. James was arrested on the very same day, but was initially charged with abduction.
Shortly after, Sierah’s DNA was found on the duct tape and one of the undergarments, which were found in James’ barn. Ultimately, he was indicted on a total of 19 counts, including aggravated murder, kidnapping, and many more charges. He was convicted on 17 out of 19 counts on March 28, 2018, and the jury recommended a death sentence unanimously. He was reportedly sentenced to death on April 19, 2018, for the aggravated murder charge. James also received 11 years in prison for kidnapping, 8 years for felonious assault, 11 months for possession of criminal tools, 3 years for weapon under disability, and 3 years for tampering with evidence. Although his latest execution date was set for May 20, 2025, pending motions delayed it. Currently, no new execution date has been fixed, and James is on death row at Ross Correctional Institution in Chillicothe, Ohio.
Fuelled by Love and Loss, Josh Became a Voice for Women’s Safety
The weight of losing Sierah is something that Josh has always carried deeply inside him. Speaking about her, he once emotionally recalled, “When she walked in the room, the room is just immediately was lifted up. So it’s more of a feeling, than just certain little memories. We were the couple that we were always together. If there was Josh then there was always Sierah.” However, Josh did not let the tragic incident define his life, as he has since moved forward with resilience and founded Keeping Our Girls Safe (KOGS) in 2016. The non-profit organization not only honors Sierah’s legacy but is also a group that majorly focuses on assisting women by empowering them through self-defense classes.
The organization has been a powerful voice that fights violence against women and has provided free self-defense classes to over 2500 girls to date. However, Josh stepped down from the position of President of KOGS in August 2022. He explained how his main focus was on the self-defense classes rather than the other avenues the organization had recently stepped into. While bidding goodbye, in part, he wrote, “KOGS will always hold a place in my heart, but I also need to stop and just say how indebted I will forever be to each of you in my community.”
Josh Kolasinski Is Living a Life Rooted in Service, Love, and Family
Josh began his journey by graduating from Evergreen High School. He then studied Construction Engineering Management at Bowling Green State University, which was followed by his time at the University of Toledo. However, his calling to serve and protect led him to enroll at Owens Community College Center for Emergency Preparedness, where he trained as an EMT paramedic. Josh stepped into his professional life with his role at OCP Contractors. After becoming the President of KOGS in 2016, his dedication to public service continued.
Josh moved on to serve at the Gorham-Fayette Fire Department in March 2020. It was followed by his service at the Lyons Royalton Fire Department since April 2021. As of writing, he is a Firefighter/Paramedic at Sylvania Township Fire and EMS. Beyond this, Josh is also an entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Nobility Industries, the website of which was launched in June 2025. The venture features “The OG” Quick Draw Webbing Pull Strap, a patent-pending innovation to improve emergency response tools.
Aside from his professional endeavors, Josh is leading a personal life surrounded by the love and support of his loved ones. The most beautiful chapter of his personal life came in August 2021, when he married Shelby Kolasinski. Their bond is evident in every moment they share, from family vacations to quiet evenings together. Since then, Josh has even embraced fatherhood with open arms and welcomed a handsome boy and a beautiful girl into the world. Through everything, he continues to live a life driven by purpose and, most importantly, a family who understands his past while loving him dearly. His journey is a testament to his ability to rediscover joy in the wake of unimaginable loss.
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