Jessica Boyce - 2019

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Jessica Boyce - 2019

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  • Jess was a loving, free-spirited daughter, and sister
  • Red Holden ute found at Lake Chalice
  • The red Holden ute was taken from Renwick and found at Lake Chalice
  • Jess always wore her blue crystal necklace
  • Jess’s blue crystal necklace was left in the red Holden ute
  • Jess wore black framed glasses
  • DNA has been recovered from the broken glasses
  • Police have announced a $100,000 reward

Cold Case, Episode

3
19th March 2024

Jess was a loving, free-spirited daughter, and sister.
Jessica Boyce

Jessica Boyce was 27 years old when she vanished from the Malborough area on Tuesday the 19th of March 2019. Within a few months, Police announced that they had launched a homicide enquiry and now, five years on, her desperate family are still waiting for answers.

Police never give up on a Cold Case.

Over the years the dedicated team of investigators followed-up hundreds of leads, tip-offs and interviewed potential suspects. However Jessica’s body has never been found, and while the file has always remained open, recent developments have brought the ‘Operation Largo’ team together again with a renewed sense of momentum. Supervising is the Marlborough Investigations Manager Detective Senior Sergeant Ciairan Sloan who’s been involved in Jess’s disappearance since the beginning.

Jessica was known to local Police as a drug user and dealer. Despite a tumultuous few months leading up to her disappearance, her mother Kay felt that Jess was back to being her ‘old self’, a free spirit who loved her family, animals, going bare foot with big dreams for her future.

Kay last saw her daughter on the morning of the 19th at her Renwick home. When Kay returned home later that day from an appointment, she discovered that Jess had taken her red Holden Rodeo ute without permission. The following Friday night Kay received a call that her ute had been found an hour’s drive away at Lake Chalice, but there was no sign of Jessica.

Red Holden ute found at Lake Chalice.
Red Holden ute found at Lake Chalice

The red Holden ute was taken from Renwick and found at Lake Chalice.
The red Holden ute was taken from Renwick and found at Lake Chalice

An intensive search and rescue operation was launched and in the weeks that followed, speculation and rumors ran wild in the community. Information flooded into Police, some genuine, and some not.

Several items found in the ute rang alarm bells for Police and Jess’s family. A crystal necklace that Jess never took off was hanging from the rear-view mirror and a pair of black framed glasses, believed to belong to Jess, were discovered broken under a seat.

Jess always wore her blue crystal necklace.
Jess always wore her blue crystal necklace

Jess’s blue crystal necklace was left in the red Holden ute.
Jess’s blue crystal necklace was left in the red Holden ute

The Operation Largo investigators have publicly stated that they believe the ute was ‘staged’ at Lake Chalice to mislead investigators and that there are those who know exactly what happened to Jess.

After careful consideration, Police are now prepared to release new information.

The broken glasses were sent to ESR for forensic analysis resulting in two DNA profiles being recovered, one male and one female. The female DNA belongs to Jessica, but the male DNA remains unidentified.

Jess wore black framed glasses.
Jess wore black framed glasses

DNA has been recovered from the broken glasses.
DNA has been recovered from the broken glasses

Crucially Police have revealed that they have a key group of people who make-up a ‘Persons of Interest’ list. They number eight - 10 people, including both males and females, some are Pākehā, and some are Māori. Within that group, one was in their late teens at the time Jess disappeared, and two are related to each other.

Forensic electronic analysis has also allowed Police to connect some on their ‘Persons of Interest’ list to crucial timeframes and locations that relate to Jess’s disappearance.

Jessica’s family have been deprived of future with their daughter and sister. They deserve to know what happened to Jess and why.

Police have announced a $100,000 reward for material information or evidence which leads to the identity and conviction of any person, or persons, responsible for Jessica’s disappearance.

Police have announced a $100,000 reward.
Police have announced a $100,000 reward

If you can help, call 0800 COLD CASE (0800 2653 2273) or email the Police Cold Case investigation team.

The Cold Case episode can be watched in full on tvnz+