Chilling new details have emerged in the search for 26-year-old Ryan Godbey, a beloved drag queen entertainer also known as JJ, who vanished over two weeks ago in Canton, Ohio.
Daniel Mattay, 33, has been arrested and charged in connection with Godbey’s disappearance, as police continue their investigation. Godbey was last seen leaving an LGBTQ+ nightclub in downtown Canton on June 19.
On Friday morning, Canton Police announced a tragic development: the case has shifted from a missing person investigation to a homicide inquiry. “While Mr. Godbey has not yet been located, new evidence makes it clear he is deceased and that Mr. Mattay is responsible,” Police Chief John Gabbard said.
The nature of the evidence has not been disclosed. The last known contact from Godbey was an early morning text on June 20 to a friend, stating that a man named “Danny” was “mad.” Godbey did not respond to any further messages after that.
Police found signs of a struggle in Godbey’s apartment, with his three cats and epilepsy medication left behind—behavior his family described as unusual. Later, investigators recovered Godbey’s driver’s license and credit card tossed near a highway.
Daniel Mattay, described in court records as homeless, is currently held on charges including murder, felonious assault, strangulation, and domestic violence. Records show Mattay served jail time in 2023 for domestic violence and other offenses.
On June 24, Mattay and a 38-year-old woman, Amanda Williams, were arrested for criminal trespassing and aggravated possession at an abandoned building. Police spoke to both about Godbey but have not indicated Williams’s involvement in the case.
Though police have not confirmed the relationship between Godbey and Mattay, family and friends have identified Mattay as a former partner.
The investigation is ongoing as the community mourns the loss of Ryan Godbey and seeks justice.
