Update: Father arrested on charge of homicide in death of 5-year-old Dickson County boy

DICKSON, Tenn. - More than three days of searching for 5-year-old Joe Clyde Daniels by hundreds of law enforcement officers and community volunteers ended in tragedy on Saturday when the boy’s father was arrested in his death.

Joseph Ray Daniels confessed to killing his son and then hiding his body, investigators announced at a news conference Saturday. Daniels was charged with criminal homicide and is being held in the Dickson County jail on $1 million bond.

Investigators are still searching for the boy’s remains.

A 911 call from Daniels on Wednesday morning touched off a massive search for Joe Clyde, who was autistic and non-verbal. Daniels told a dispatcher his son must have unlocked the door and wandered off.

"During the course of the investigation, it was determined the child's father, Joseph Daniels, intentionally killed his son in his residence and then hid his body," TBI Deputy Director Jason Locke said.

Dickson County Sheriff Jeff Bledsoe said officers had been called to the family’s home in the past after the boy was reported missing. But each time previously, the boy with blond hair and bright blue eyes was found.

The previous incidents sparked hope that Joe Clyde would be found again, and as the substantial search effort unfolded – including helicopters in the air, boats on nearby waterways and search dogs in fields – at least two developments led investigators to believe the boy was alive.

On Wednesday, investigators said there was credible information the boy had been spotted about 100 yards from the home. And Friday, Bledsoe said a footprint found near a creek about three miles from where Joe Clyde went missing was a possible indication he was alive.

Though investigators said they could not provide details about what happened, the case took a turn Friday, and District Attorney General Ray Crouch instructed the TBI to pursue the case as a criminal matter. That eventually led to Daniels’ confession and arrest.

“I want to make sure everyone knows in Dickson County what a blessing we’ve had with the outpouring of volunteers and the community coming out and rallying around us,” Bledsoe said. “I know everyone’s hearts are breaking, just like ours, with the information we’ve received now.”

More: Joe Clyde Daniels search: A footprint offered some hope as search stretches into weekend

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Siblings placed with relative

Joe Clyde had two siblings, ages 8 and 3, who have been placed with relatives, a Department of Children’s Services spokesman said. DCS officials suggested the children stay with relatives and at least one parent agreed, spokesman Rob Johnson said.

The investigation, led by the TBI and Dickson County Sheriff’s Office, remained open. A TBI crime unit vehicle arrived at the staging area Saturday, as the search for the boy’s remains and other clues continued. DCS is also investigating the case, Johnson said.

The family had no interactions with DCS in the past three years, according to Johnson, and Daniels did not appear to have a criminal history, according to a search of public records. Daniels, 28, had worked for a Dickson information technology company, Logical Solutions. It was not clear if he still worked there, and the company was closed for business Saturday.

Investigators would not comment on whether the boy’s mother is being investigated.

Vigil planned for Joe

At Friendship Baptist Church, which served as a staging area during the search, tearful volunteers gathered to pray Saturday.

A vigil for Joe Clyde was planned for 5:30 p.m. Sunday, and those wishing to donate flowers were encouraged to send them to the church.

As the search continued to unfold, the community rallied and volunteers prayed that the boy would be found. Bledsoe said Saturday he was not surprised but "impressed" by the community support.

Although the volunteer effort ended in tragedy, Friendship Baptist Pastor John Dudley said he was uplifted by how the community and congregation rallied together.

"It's been awesome to see all the good in the community," Dudley said. "Sometimes you might think there's no good left in the world. when you need people, they come out of the woodwork. It's been good to see God move."

Nicole Cederoth, 25, stood on her front porch holding her 4-year-old son, looking across the yard at the Daniels household.

Though she said the news of 5-year-old Joe Clyde Daniels’ alleged murder didn’t come as a surprise to her, “I wanted to be wrong,” she said. “I wanted to so bad.”

Cederoth, a lifelong Dickson resident who has lived next door to the Daniels home for just over a year, said she began getting skeptical of Joe Clyde’s well-being when the search passed the first day. She didn’t believe a child that young would have strayed too far from home.

Because the investigation is ongoing, many details surrounding the boy's death remain unknown. At a news conference Saturday, investigators did not reveal the break that shifted the case into a criminal investigation.

Reach Nate Rau at 615-259-8094 and nrau@tennessean.com. Follow him on Twitter @tnnaterau.