Body Found In Newark Identified As Missing Cranford Woman

A body discovered in Newark over the weekend has been confirmed as that of April Wyckoff, a woman who police believe was killed by her boyfriend in his Union home.

The woman's body was found off Raymond Boulevard on Sunday. Wyckoff's car was discovered in Newark last week.

Authorities believe 43-year-old Matthew Ballister III killed the 43-year-old woman in his Union Township home sometime on Tuesday evening by blunt-force trama.

Law enforcement began looking for Wyckoff's body on Friday morning at several undisclosed locations in Union, Hudson, and Essex counties, then returned to those areas for several hours on Saturday. The search resumed Sunday morning when the body was discovered.

They had been looking at Liberty State Park as well at the woods around the Watchung Reservation according to the newspaper, which reports her car was found in Newark.Police are still looking for Ballister's Hummer which police believe was used to dispose of Wyckoff's body.

“We’ve charged Mr. Ballister, so the case will proceed with or without the body. But we would really like to recover that body," Union County Prosecutor Grace Park told WCBS TV.  Wyckoff had recently moved into an apartment and worked at the corporate office of Bed, Bath & Beyond.

WNBC TV reports that Ballister's home smelled of bleach, the upstairs in disarray and blood was found on the driveway that had been hosed off.

“We hope that anybody with any information would come forward with anything that would help find my baby,” Wyckoff's stepfather Henry Schenesky told the Star Ledger.

Ballister's 70-year-old mother, Eleanor Schofield, is accused of interfering with the investigation. Authorities say she attempted to assist in his effort to conceal evidence of the crime. WNBC reports a bag of bloody clothing was found in her car.

Ballister has been charged with murder and remains jailed in lieu of $2 million bail.

The Associated Press contributed to this report