Canton Police have made a grim shift in the case of Ryan Godbey, the 26-year-old who has been missing since mid-June. Godbey was last seen at Darlin's CREW in Canton on June 19 and was reported missing just days later on June 22. Now, following the emergence of new evidence, local authorities have charged 33-year-old Daniel Z. Mattay with a slew of crimes, including murder, as per an update from police released yesterday. "Unfortunately, new evidence has led our agency to transition the case from a missing person to a homicide investigation," Canton Police Chief John Gabbard expressed in a news release obtained by Cleveland19.
Additionally, the charges against Mattay cover felonious assault, strangulation, and domestic violence, signaling a tragic close to a missing person's case that has captivated the Canton community. Mattay, who was Godbey's live-in partner, is accused of causing "serious physical harm" to Godbey and strangling them to death. According to court records cited by WKYC, the new evidence has prompted Canton Police to move from seeking Godbey as a missing person to investigating his death.
In the wake of the charges, Canton Mayor Sherer issued a statement reflecting on the sad turn of events. However, this specific content of the statement was not mentioned in the sources. Mattay now finds himself incarcerated at the Stark County Jail as the investigation proceeds. Individuals with information regarding the case are encouraged to contact the Canton Police Communications Center or the Canton Police Detective Bureau. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Tip411 or Stark County Crime Stoppers, as reported by FOX 8.
