Please attribute to Detective Senior Sergeant Ciaran Sloan, Area Investigations Manager:
This Thursday, 19 March 2020, will mark one year since the disappearance of Marlborough woman Jessica Boyce.
Jessica was last seen in Renwick on 19 March 2019, driving a red Holden Rodeo ute.
The ute was located a few days later at the Lake Chalice car park in the Richmond Ranges.
An intensive search was undertaken, but sadly Jessica was not located and in October 2019 Police announced we were treating her disappearance as a homicide.
Six detectives are working on Operation Largo, the investigation into Jessica’s disappearance.
At times during the investigation they have been assisted by additional staff from the wider Tasman District, and Canterbury and Southern Districts.
Our officers have established that a significant amount of misinformation has been received by police, in what appears to be a deliberate attempt to impede and frustrate the investigation into Jessica’s disappearance.
This includes the placement of Jessica’s red Holden Rodeo ute in the Lake Chalice carpark, which we believe was put there to mislead the investigation team.
Police are also aware that several persons of interest have left the Marlborough area over the past year, possibly in the mistaken belief that this will help them avoid police attention.
Despite these obstacles, the investigation team is steadily working through and following up all information received.
We remain absolutely focused on resolving this case and providing answers for Jessica’s family and loved ones.
We are continuing to make progress and on 9 March 2020 Marlborough Police seized a black Mazda utility vehicle, which we believe is connected to Jessica’s disappearance.
The vehicle is currently undergoing a forensic examination.
We continue to ask that anyone with information about Jessica’s disappearance – no matter how significant they think it might be – contact Marlborough Police on 03 578 5279.
Information can also be provided anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
