Community Corner
UPDATED: Police Uncover Possible Human Remains At Missing Autistic Boy's Home
Detectives investigating the disappearance of Terry Smith went to a home on Helen Lane in Menifee shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday.
UPDATE 2:35 p.m.:
Investigators remained on scene Wednesday afternoon at the Menifee home of an 11-year-old Terry Smith who allegedly went missing over the weekend.
Earlier in the afternoon, what are believed to be human remains were removed from the property in the 33000 block of Helen Lane following police activity that began in the wee hours of the morning.Sheriff’s forensics investigators were previously seen digging near a tree about 45 feet from the single-story modular home.
Those who live at the home include Terry, his mother, sister and half-brother, a sheriff’s official previously told Patch.
A goat and other livestock sat idly by as investigators worked inside and outside the home, with crime tape still in place as of around 2 p.m.
Sheriff’s officials have not confirmed the remains as those of Terry, who also went by “Ju Ju” and “Junior.”
At 4 p.m. Wednesday, Menifee police Chief John Hill is scheduled to give an update on the investigation into the boy’s disappearance.
Several hundred—if not thousands—of volunteers had been searching for Terry since news of his alleged disappearance surfaced. The search effort stretched to the neighboring communities of Murrieta, Wildomar and Winchester.
Sheriff’s officials as of Wednesday morning, however, had suspended their search efforts and were concentrating on the investigation on Helen Lane.
Volunteers stationed at a makeshift command post at the nearby Menifee Market were also slowing their efforts.
Instead, they were praying.
PREVIOUS UPDATE 12:42 p.m.: Evidence believed to be human remains has been removed from the backyard of the Menifee home in which an 11-year-old boy lived and who was reported missing over the weekend.
Find out what's happening in Lake Elsinore-Wildomarwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The activity took place just before 12:30 p.m. Wednesday.
A sheriff's sergeant confirmed that investigators had located possible human remains at the Menifee home of the autistic boy, Terry Smith.
Find out what's happening in Lake Elsinore-Wildomarwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Investigators have served a search warrant at the property, Sgt. Lisa McConnell said in a released statement Wednesday.
She did not discuss any possible suspects in the case.
According to a Patch reporter on the scene, investigators appeared to be digging in a small area in the home's backyard, about 45 feet from the house located in the 33000 block of Helen Lane. Sheriff's forensics vehicles were parked on the property, and two sheriff's EasyUps were set up but at press time have been removed.
Detectives investigating the disappearance of the boy went to the Menifee home shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday, based on evidence to indicate there may be a body on the property, Riverside County sheriff's Deputy Albert Martinez said earlier today.
A couple of hours later, yellow crime scene tape went up around the property, and news reports from the scene quoted sheriff's officials as saying that, while volunteers again would go out today to look for the boy, sheriff's personnel would not.
"[Investigators are trying to determine whether human remains are there," Martinez told Patch. "As far as whose those are, that's for the coroner's investigation."
The boy allegedly disappeared Saturday night from that family home. According to relatives, the boy, who has the mental capacity of a 7-year-old, was reportedly last seen around 7:30 that evening. He was reportedly being babysat by a 16-year-old half-brother.
According to Martinez, the boys' mother said she was away from the home Saturday evening but returned around 1 a.m. Sunday and thought she saw both boys sleeping in their respective beds. At some point she said she discovered Terry missing and went to police at around 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Martinez confirmed.
There is no word from police yet on whether the remains found are definitely human, and if so, when that person may have died.
Since Sunday, massive search operations have taken place, with more than 700 people fanning out and looking for Terry at one time, wading through snake- infested scrub in the midday heat, shouting his name.
"The strength and fabric of a community are never tested until an event such as this occurs," Menifee Mayor Scott Mann told reporters Tuesday. "We have volunteers from all quarters of the city -- neighbors, ranchers, members of our church family -- people from all walks of life, who have come out in overwhelming support of this search."
Riverside County sheriff's Capt. John Hill, who serves as the Menifee police chief, said multiple agencies are taking part in the canvass, including the Los Angeles, San Diego and San Bernardino County sheriff's departments, police Explorer units, Cal Fire and personnel from the Riverside County Office of Emergency Services.
Search coordinator Bill Gillette told ABC7 on Tuesday that the search has taken on additional urgency because of the length of time Terry has been missing.
Hill said law enforcement is focused on a 55-square-mile area around the child's home.
"Terry's whereabouts and the circumstances under which he disappeared are unknown," the sheriff's captain said Tuesday, before reports of human remains on the Helem lane property. "We're doing everything possible to return him to his family."
Hill was asked if Terry might have been abducted.
"That's always a possibility," he replied. "We're looking at all possibilities."
Terry is 4 feet 8 and 76 pounds, with brown eyes and dark blonde hair, last seen wearing light blue basketball shorts and ankle socks.
Anyone with information about the boy or his disappearance was urged to call the sheriff's Perris station at (951) 210-1000, or sheriff's dispatch at (951) 776-1099. --City News Service contributed to this report.
More Coverage on the Search for Terry Smith:
- Have You Seen This Boy? He is at Risk
- Missing Autistic Boy in Menifee
- Police Still Searching For Missing Autistic Boy
- Hundreds of Volunteers Fan Out in Search for Missing Autistic Boy in Menifee
- 'Find Terry Smith' Facebook Page Established, Volunteers Continue Search For Missing Boy
- Still No Sign Of Missing Autistic Boy, Search Continues
- Search For Missing Autistic Boy Intensifies
- Volunteers, Authorities Searching Through the Night for Missing Menifee Boy
- VIDEO: No Leads In Case Of Missing Autistic Boy, Police Chief Says
- Teen Suspected Of Killing His Little Autistic Brother
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
