Reward plea to bring justice for Jess

PAULA HULBURT

The family of homicide victim Jessica Boyce are appealing for police to offer a reward to help bring those responsible for her death to justice.

Four years after the kind-hearted blonde disappeared, her family are still searching for answers. Jess’s family hope a reward will help spark new leads.

Her cousin and close friend Aaron O’Neill says the move could make all the difference in the case and stop Jess’s case “fading into obscurity.”

“I’m not going to lie, while I’m happy police are stepping up for other missing people, it’s hard to see rewards up to $100,000 being offered for information in those cases but not for Jess,” says her cousin and close friend Aaron O’Neill.

“Jess’s case is comparatively recent, so the information is there waiting to come out.

“A reward of that magnitude could be the difference between obtaining justice for Jess or having her case fade into obscurity and leaving a killer/s to walk free and strike against someone else in the future.”

Jessica Boyce was 27 when she was last seen in Renwick on 19

March 2019 driving her mum’s red Holden Rodeo ute.

The vehicle was discovered at the Lake Chalice car park in the Richmond Ranges on Friday, March 22, which police later believed was a ploy to thwart the investigation.

Her disappearance officially became a homicide investigation in October 2020.

Her family say they will never stop seeking answers.

Aaron says while he understands the police’s initial reluctance not to offer a reward, it is time for a push for information.

“I could understand the hesitancy to withhold a reward at the beginning, when investigators were already being inundated with false leads, but by their own admission, nothing new is getting them across the line in terms of evidence - so why not make another major push for information in the form of a reward?

“Why is it seemingly good enough for everyone except for Jess?

“$100,000 is a lot of money to anyone, but especially to the circle I suspect is involved in her disappearance - a circle full of people financially indebted to dangerous individuals and would do anything to have purchasing power.

“It’s been four years of hell and we want answers. It’s not an unreasonable expectation when there are still strategies that haven’t been tried yet.”

Posting on social media, Jess’s mum, Kay Johnston, paid tribute to her daughter.

“There are no more tomorrows with you my beautiful daughter.

“Our souls will meet again. Four years is a long time for no an- swers and the pain we carry every day of knowing you are out there alone and the people that took you are free living their pitiful lives.”

A police spokesperson says while the homicide investigation is not as active as it was, enquiries are still being made.

“Enquiries into the disappearance of Jessica Boyce are ongoing. A number of investigative tools and techniques have been employed across the inquiry however for operational reasons we will not be disclosing these.

“We are always interested to hear from anyone who might have information about Jessica and the circumstances surrounding her disappearance.

“You can call Marlborough Police on 03 578 5279, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”