Coroner Confirms Menifee Remains as Missing Boy Terry Smith, Jr.

The following was reported by Patch Local Editor Maggie Avants:

The human remains discovered July 10 behind the home of a missing Menifee boy have been confirmed as his, authorities said Thursday.

Eleven-year-old Terry Smith Jr. was a victim of homicide, according to a Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner's Office report. 

Just after midnight July 10, a male juvenile's remains—now confirmed as his—had been found partially exposed from a shallow grave near a tree in the backyard of the home in the 3300 block of Menifee where Terry lived with his mother, her partner, his half sister and half brother.

Terry was first reported missing the morning of July 7 by his mother.

The discovery of the remains brought a dramatic halt to a nearly four-day law enforcement search for the boy that was complemented by the efforts of several hundred citizen volunteers.

Terry's 16-year-old half brother, Skylor Atilano, was charged with murder shortly after the remains were discovered. He is being held at Southwest Juvenile Hall near Murrieta, awaiting a September court appearance.

The positive identification of Terry's remains was delayed because they were those of a juvenile, sheriff-coroner's Sgt. Brent Sechrest previously told Patch. Identifying records such as fingerprints are not available on minors, unless there is a criminal record, he explained.

The coroner's office had to await dental records from Terry's father, Terry Smith Sr., a West Virginia resident who purportedly had legal custody of the boy. The father previously told Patch he had also sent his DNA to help identify the boy.

Smith Sr. arrived in Southern California last week, and held a public memorial service to thank the volunteers who tirelessly searched for his son.