Cousin of missing woman Jessica Boyce says search 'ruining my life'

Thursday, 20 June 2019

The cousin of missing Marlborough woman Jessica Boyce, last seen three months ago, is stepping back from the search after struggling to cope with the aftermath of her disappearance.

Aaron Goodwin, who travelled up from Dunedin to help with the search for his cousin, said he felt 'paranoid' and 'scared', and needed some time off to focus on his mental health.

'I can't hear any more … it's too disgusting, I can't handle any more of it. I can't talk about it anymore, it's ruining my life,' he said.

Goodwin said he was plagued by nightmares and panic attacks.

* 'False hope' for family after old post from Jess Boyce pops up on Facebook

* Searchers for lost tramper also sought clues to missing Marlborough woman

* Was she taken? Family of missing Marlborough woman Jessica Boyce fear foul play

The family of Renwick woman Jessica Boyce, 27, is concerned for her wellbeing.

* Hikers who found ute of missing woman Jess Boyce told police to bring dogs**

'The tips that have been coming through are grisly and extremely graphic. It's hard to tell if people are spreading rumours or genuinely trying to help sometimes,' he said.

Two hikers found the red ute Boyce took to Lake Chalice, in the forest park, on March 22.

After being forwarded potential tip-offs, Goodwin had the 'soul-crushing task' of passing 'those sorts of messages' onto his aunt, Kay Johnstone, who was Boyce's mother.

'It kills me every time,' Goodwin said.

Boyce was last seen on March 19, driving her mother's ute. Two hikers found the ute near Lake Chalice, in the Mount Richmond Forest Park, 90 minutes west of Blenheim, on March 22.

Inside the ute were Boyce's wallet and phone, with no sim card. The car was unlocked and the front windows were down.

Goodwin was involved in search efforts from the get-go, having formed a close friendship with Boyce while growing up in Blenheim.

Goodwin set up the website 'Help Find Jess' on behalf of the family, so the public could submit anonymous tips.

He searched the area on foot, joined in on a flyover, put up missing person posters, chased leads, established the 'Help Find Jess' Facebook page and created a website for anonymous tips.

In the past few weeks, Goodwin reached out to Scott Watson author Ian Wishart for advice and created a Givealittle page on behalf of the family to fundraise for a $50,000 reward, which had raised $970.

Goodwin supports Boyce's mother Kay Johnstone before they board a helicopter to search the Mount Richmond Forest Park from above.

But two months after members of Boyce's family decided to seek counselling, Goodwin was withdrawing from the front line.

'I was handling it okay at the start, but now I can't sleep, or when I do [sleep] I have nightmares that I wasn't able to save her in time,' Goodwin said.

A missing person's poster of Boyce at Watery Mouth Cafe, in Blenheim.

'The messages and tips just never stop coming - all day, all night.

'I've become hyper aware and paranoid about where other female members of my family are all the time now, because I now know first hand that these things really can happen to anyone.'

Goodwin said he was scared the family would never find Boyce or her body, and 'never be at peace again'.

He said he was still on a waiting list with the Southland District Health Board to see a counsellor.

Police and LandSAR searched the forest park and its huts when Boyce's vehicle was found, but suspended efforts four days later.

Search and rescue teams revisited the area earlier this month, but found no clues relating to Boyce's disappearance.

A police spokeswoman said on Monday that Boyce remains missing.

A helpfindjess.org website was set up by Boyce's family in April so people could write in anonymously.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Blenheim police on 03 578 5279. Alternatively, anonymous tips can be passed on to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

People could donate on the family's fundraising page by putting Boyce's name in Givealittle's search bar.