Police are offering a $100,000 reward for information related to the 2019 disappearance and suspected murder of Jessica Boyce. The investigators, who revealed on TVNZ’s Cold Case that they believe a group involved in the Marlborough methamphetamine scene is likely responsible for her disappearance and death, made this information public for the first time.
Boyce, 27, went missing on 19 March 2019 from Renwick, near Blenheim. The last confirmed sighting of her was around 4pm, driving west out of Blenheim in her mother’s red ute with a male passenger. She was believed to be wearing black glasses, a tank top, floral shorts and was barefoot.
A ute matching the description of Boyce’s mother’s vehicle was last seen in the Lake Chalice area around 5pm by overseas tourists. It was found three days later on the road leading to the lake in Mount Richmond Forest Park, with Boyce’s broken glasses hidden inside. A male DNA profile on the glasses was unable to be matched, but the female DNA sample was confirmed as Boyce’s. A necklace she reportedly never took off was also found hanging around the rearview mirror.
The case was officially upgraded to a homicide investigation in October 2019, but Boyce’s body has never been found. Police believe a group of people involved in the Marlborough meth scene were responsible for her disappearance and death. Boyce was known to the police as a drug user and dealer.
Detective Senior Sergeant Ciaran Sloan said that the persons of interest in the case are about eight to ten individuals, both male and female, some Pākehā, some Māori. One was in their late teens, and some were mothers. There were also urgent text messages exchanged between two persons of interest around the time Boyce went missing, and one of them was known to have been supplied by Boyce in the past.
The investigation continues, with anyone with relevant information encouraged to contact the investigation team on 0800 COLD CASE (0800 2653 2273).
