Authorities in California are now investigating the disappearance of a Corona boy as homicide, and the boy’s father had been charged with torture and murder.

Fox 11 reports that Noah McIntosh, 8, is now considered a likely murder victim, and that authorities have charged his father Bryce McIntosh, 32, with first-degree murder and special circumstance murder of torture. Earlier this month, both the boy’s mother and father were arrested on suspicion of child abuse in connection with Noah’s disappearance, and his mother has subsequently been charged with child endangerment.

At a news conference on Thursday, authorities said that they have not found the missing boy’s body, but Corona Police Chief George Johnstone said that police have found significant evidence that the Noah was murdered following searches of multiple areas in the county.

“At the locations mentioned, we did collect trace evidence that leave no doubt that Noah is the victim of a homicide,” Johnstone said.

“We do believe there is a motive,” he added, but said he could not elaborate further at this time.

Authorities are asking anyone who may have seen the Noah, either of his parents, or the suspect’s car — a Black BMW 330i, with California tags 5MKE807 — between February 20 and March 14 to contact the Corona Police Department.

CrimeOnline will provide further details when more information is available.