UPDATE (11 AM): The Kern County District Attorney's office held a press conference Wednesday concerning the arrest of the adoptive parents in the disappearance of Orrin and Orson West. District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer announced that the two little boys are deceased.
"This morning, I'm saddened to announce that the investigation has revealed that Orrin and Orson West are deceased. The investigation has also revealed that they died three months before the adoptive parents reported them missing," said Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer. "However, I am pleased to announce that this week, the Kern County grand jury, indicted Terzelll and Jacqueline West, the adoptive parents for the murder of Oren and Orson West. The indictment charges five counts. The first count is murder, charges them both with murder, with the victim being on West, the second count charges murder, the victim being or ORSON west. The third count charges felony child abuse against the person of Orrin West. The fourth count charges child abuse against the person of Orson West, and the fifth count charges. false report of an emergency."
Zimmer said Orrin and Orson were reported missing to the California City Police Department in December of 2020, setting off a massive search effort by multiple agencies and community members.
Added Bakersfield Police Chief Greg Terry: "This is not the outcome that we in so many had hoped and prayed for over the last year. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of Orrin and Orson who, with this news today, their worst fears have been realized."
Trezell and Jacqueline West were arrested around 7 p.m. Tuesday night near Rosedale Highway and Enos Lane and booked in the downtown jail on two counts of 2nd-degree murder and child abuse.
Zimmer said police worked hundreds of hours over 12 months searching for the boys before finding out what happened.
Trezell and Jacqueline west are slated to be in court Thursday morning for their arraignment.
"I'm sure you'd like to know is, have the bodies of Orrin and Orson been found? And the answer to that is no. They have not been found," continued Zimmer. "However, I would like to emphasize that the fact that law enforcement have not found their bodies does not preclude a murder prosecution. As a matter of fact, there have been many hundreds of what we call "no body" homicides prosecuted across the United States successfully. And even nobody homicides have resulted in murder convictions in Kern County."
WATCH THE FULL PRESS CONFERENCE:
ORIGINAL STORY: Trezell West and Jacqueline West were charged with second-degree murder of Orrin and Orson West according to Kern County Superior Court.
An inmate search shows law enforcement arrested Terzell West at 8:18 p.m. Tuesday evening and Jacqueline West at 8:06 p.m. both are at the central receiving facility on Truxtun.
BPT Lieutenant Townsend commented, "They were arrested in the unincorporated areas of Bakersfield, after 7 p.m. near Highway 58 and Enos Lane."
Trezell West and Jacqueline West were the adoptive parents of the two boys and the ones who reported them missing from their backyard in California City.
See Our Full Coverage of the West Boys Disappearance
The father allegedly left the backyard gate open and left them alone for a brief amount of time. When he returned the boys were gone.
Since then, multiple searches have taken place both in California City and Bakersfield with many people joining in to help.
This is the newest development after a year of their disappearance. Trezell West is being charged with two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of willful cruelty to a child, and a false report of an emergency.
