CORONA, Calif. – A missing-child investigation in California took a grim turn when authorities announced murder and torture charges against the father of 8-year-old Noah McIntosh. Corona Police Chief George Johnstone revealed at a press conference that the search for Noah had transitioned from a rescue mission to a search for his remains, according to Fox News reports.
“It is unfortunate and with a heavy heart that I must let the community know that the missing-child investigation regarding Noah McIntosh has now been escalated to a homicide case,” Johnstone stated. The shift came after investigators uncovered evidence suggesting Noah was no longer alive.
On March 12, police received a call from Jillian Godfrey, 36, Noah’s mother, requesting a welfare check on her son. Godfrey reported that she had been unable to contact Noah for nearly two weeks. Police then attempted to contact Bryce McIntosh, Noah’s father, at his residence on Temescal Canyon Road, but were unsuccessful.
The following day, after obtaining a search warrant, investigators discovered evidence inside McIntosh’s home that led to the arrest of both parents on child abuse charges. “It does not make sense that the parents of an 8-year-old child would not know his whereabouts or be able to give us specific details of when he was last seen or where he last was,” Johnstone explained.
Tragically, the case evolved into a homicide investigation after police searched several locations in Temescal Valley, Aguanga, and Murrieta. Evidence found at these locations led investigators to believe that Noah was deceased. “At the locations mentioned, we did collect trace evidence that leaves no doubt that Noah is a victim of a homicide, and that evidence was presented to the district attorney’s office where the filing was made.”
District Attorney Michael Hestrin announced that despite the fact that Noah’s remains had not been found, his father, 32, was being charged with first-degree murder and special-circumstance murder or torture. If convicted, McIntosh could face life in prison without the possibility of parole and could become eligible for the death penalty. He was scheduled to be arraigned on Monday.
As of the time of the report, Godfrey had not been charged in connection with her son’s death. However, she was facing a child endangerment charge, and her bail was set at $500,000. Police indicated that Noah’s father had refused to cooperate with the investigation, and Godfrey provided limited information regarding her son’s whereabouts.
Noah has an 11-year-old sister, but police did not disclose whether she would be called as a witness. The investigation was led by Chief George Johnstone of the Corona Police Department.