CANTON ‒ Before his death, Ryan T. “JJ” Godbey was following his dreams and pursuing his happiness as a drag performer, said his mother, Jackie Godbey.
“He was doing his drag and getting shows. He had joined the LGBTQ+ community of Canton and absolutely adored all of them, and was thankful,” she said. “This is his life and he was living his life.”
Godbey said her son, 26, had helped other members of the LGBTQ+ community come out “and accept who they are and to live life because you only get one, and his was taken for no reason.”
She spoke on July 7 after a judge increased the bond for Daniel Z. Mattay, the man accused of killing Ryan, his roommate.
Judge Dennis E. Barr raised Mattay’s bond to $1.5 million at an arraignment held July 7 in Canton Municipal Court, an increase over the $1 million bond set July 4. He said he did so because the suspect tried to break out of the Stark County Jail on July 3.
Mattay, 33, is charged with murder, felonious assault, strangulation and domestic violence in connection with the presumed death of Godbey.
Canton Prosecutor Katie Erchick Gilbert had asked for the bond to remain at $1 million, and defense attorney Aaron Kovalchik did not object.
But Barr said that Mattay’s additional charges of attempted escape and vandalism indicate he is not willing to appear in court.
Charges filed by the Stark County Sheriff’s Office allege Mattay damaged ceiling tiles and duct work inside the visitation area of the jail while trying to escape.
The criminal complaint against Mattay alleges that he beat and strangled Godbey, causing his death.
Godbey’s body has not been found. No motive has been identified.
Erchick Gilbert declined to elaborate on the evidence that led to the filing of a murder charge without locating Godbey’s body. His disappearance prompted led to a vigil and search efforts.
Godbey was last seen June 19 at Darlin’s CREW, an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Canton. His last known text, sent to a friend at 12:27 a.m. June 20, said that a man named Danny was upset. He did not reply to a text from his friend.
Who is Canton murder suspect Danny Mattay?
Mattay and a 38-year-old woman had previously been charged with criminal trespass and aggravated possession of drugs after being arrested June 24 in a vacant building in the 1200 block of Walnut Avenue NE. Detectives had gone to the location to speak with them about Godbey’s disappearance.
Court records describe Mattay as homeless in Massillon, but Canton police records state that he lived with Godbey in Canton. Erchick Gilbert said Mattay’s address for parole purposes was Godbey’s apartment, although Mattay may have been somewhat transient.
Court records show that Mattay has been convicted of several violent crimes in Stark County since July 2023, including felony domestic violence, felony victim intimidation, felony vehicular vandalism, felony obstructing official business, disorderly conduct and assault.
He also was convicted in 2011 for domestic battery in Las Vegas, court records show.
Ryan Godbey’s mother mourns his ‘senseless’ death
Jackie Godbey said Mattay had been living with her son, but that Ryan had told Mattay he needed to move out by July 1.
“This is a heinous, senseless, violent crime,” she said. “There is no reason or justification for the actions, for the murder of my son. I would like my son home. I would like my son to have a proper burial. He was murdered, and the parasite that did this isn’t even decent enough to let us know what he did with my son’s body.”
Ryan Godbey was a graduate of Massillon Washington High School where he participated in band, choir and the swim team. He had worked at the Massillon Recreation Center as a lifeguard, swimming teacher and water aerobics instructor.Jackie Godbey said Ryan and another lifeguard saved the life of a man who had a heart attack at the Massillon Recreation Center in 2017. They gave him CPR in the locker room.
She said he missed the mayor’s award presentation because he was taking a class at Cleveland State University, where he pursued early childhood education for a year and a half.
Godbey described her son as “fun, loving, outgoing. He loved to swim. He loved to play the trumpet. He loved anything with videos, social media, Demi Lovato.”
She described Mattay as her son’s friend. She does not refer to him as Ryan’s partner.
“He doesn’t deserve that,” the mother said. “Even if he was, he doesn’t deserve that.”
Jackie Godbey said she and her mother Judy Jamison supported Ryan in his pursuit of a career as a drag performer.
“In his spare time, he would sit with my mom and work on his outfits and practice and have lunch with her. That was their thing. Mom’s 78 years old and Ryan is my mom’s best friend.”
Jackie said Ryan had “keep going” tattooed on his fingers “because he did. It was hard for him because of his way of life and he finally was living it and following what he wanted to do.”
She is at a loss to understand why her son was killed. She said the man charged with his murder had a job at a food processing facility in Massillon.
“I don’t understand,” she said. “If that man needed money or something, he didn’t have to do this. He did not have to take the life of my child.”
Godbey said she will keep searching for her son, as she and others did after he went missing.
“It gives us something to do besides just sit home,” she said. “I already feel helpless and hopeless.”
She said that while she searches, she will sing the song she’s always shared with Ryan and her daughter Paige McGeorge, “You Are My Sunshine.”
Reach Nancy at 330-580-8382 or nancy.molnar@cantonrep.com.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Judge raises bond to $1.5M for Ryan Godbey murder suspect after attempted jailbreak
Reporting by Nancy Molnar, Canton Repository / The Repository
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