Police have discovered the body of a four-year-old Alabama boy who went missing on New Year's Eve. Johnathan Everett Boley, known as John John, was last seen on Wednesday at approximately 11:30 a.m. in Jasper, a small town about 40 miles northwest of Birmingham, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
His remains were found on Friday afternoon around two miles from his home, following a two-day search. Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith confirmed the news, stating the community was “devastated.” The boy’s black Labrador retriever, Buck, was found alive near the body.
Johnathan had been playing outside with his six-year-old brother and their dog before he vanished, his brother reportedly telling their father that the child and dog had gone beyond the fence line. The disappearance prompted a search involving drones, helicopters, thermal detection, and K-9 units.
During the search, investigators discovered “evidence of explosive devices” on the property and potential devices across the street, though these were later deemed not explosives. The FBI processed the house to contain any devices. Neighbours reported hearing explosions for weeks, including one at 4 a.m. on the day the boy went missing.
Johnathan’s father, Jameson Kyle Boley, was charged with two counts of chemical endangerment of a child and one count of unlawful manufacture of a destructive device, but Sheriff Smith stated these charges were separate from the child’s disappearance. The boy’s parents were separated, with the mother living in Florida and the father having five days of custody per year.
