The father of an 8-year-old Corona boy missing for the last month was charged Thursday with first-degree murder after investigators uncovered clues that left “no doubt” the child was the victim of a homicide, authorities said.
Noah McIntosh’s father, 32-year-old Bryce Daniel McIntosh, and mother, 36-year-old Jillian Marie Godfrey, both of Corona, have been behind bars since March 13. Both were charged with felony child endangerment and were originally set to return to court on April 8.
During a news briefing Thursday morning at the Corona Police Department, police Chief George Johnstone said detectives found “evidence that was significant enough” to justify the murder charge against McIntosh, as well as a special circumstance allegation of inflicting torture in the course of a killing.
“We collected trace evidence that leaves no doubt that Noah was the victim of a homicide,” Johnstone said. “It tears at the heart of every person who has touched this case.”
Johnstone would not disclose a possible motive, nor the exact nature or extent of the evidence, saying only that detectives had searched locations in Aguanga, Murrieta and the Temescal Valley that led them to conclude Noah was dead.
“It’s a `no body’ homicide,” Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin said. “But we are confident this was a homicide.”
Hestrin said there was no intention to modify the criminal complaint against Godfrey, who is not charged with murder. He anticipated that McIntosh’s arraignment on the new charge would be Monday at the Riverside Hall of Justice.
Johnstone said Noah disappeared sometime between Feb. 20 and March 12.
“We are asking people to reflect back,” the chief said. “If there is anyone who may have seen Noah, you’re asked to contact the police department.”
He said Bryce McIntosh’s black BMW 330i is a key element in the alleged killing. The license plate is California 5MKE807. Anyone who may have seen the vehicle during the period in question was asked to contact detectives at (951) 279-3659.
Noah was last seen around the apartment complex where his parents reside separately at 4637 Temescal Canyon Road. Johnstone said Bryce McIntosh’s unit, No. 205, has been the focus of police interest.
Items were seized from the apartment last week, but officials were mum about the contents and their relevance to the investigation.
Godfrey called police on March 12 when McIntosh refused to let her see Noah over a roughly two-week period, according to Johnstone.
The woman’s father told reporters he believed McIntosh was responsible for Noah’s disappearance and feared that the defendant’s “terrible temper” may have led to something sinister.
Police spokesman Sgt. Chad Fountain said that despite “numerous attempts” to make contact with McIntosh, the defendant refused to speak with police two weeks ago.
Officers served a search warrant at the location on March 13 and found the defendant inside the apartment with his 11-year-old daughter, whose identity was not released, but there was no sign of Noah, Fountain said.
He said based on the initial investigation, detectives determined there was sufficient evidence to justify arresting the parents for alleged child abuse.
Both defendants are being held at the Robert Presley Detention Center in downtown Riverside — McIntosh in lieu of $1 million bail, and Godfrey on $500,000 bail.
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