Matthew Macdonald, 30, of Bridgeport (top), Destiny Gardenier (bottom left) and Ryan Bower (bottom right).
In mid-March, two missing teens from Montgomery Township were safely reunited with their families following a missing-persons search across Montgomery County. Now, a 30-year-old Bridgeport man is facing felony charges, and new details have been released regarding their disappearance and how they were tracked down.
According to the criminal complaint, Montgomery Township Police responded to the Montgomery Mall on March 10 for a report of two missing teens. While searching the area for the teens—later identified as Destiny Gardenier and Ryan Bower—police discovered their cellphones in a trash can at a business outside of the Montgomery Mall property.
The report states that during the course of their initial investigation, police discovered a Cricket Wireless phone box at the home of one of the teens. Police then tracked the phone to the 1000 block of Dekalb Pike in Bridgeport, and then traveled to the home to ask the residents if the missing teens had been seen in the area. Upon arrival, police spoke with the accused—identified as 30-year-old Matthew Macdonald—along with his father, and the report states that both Macdonald and his father denied seeing the teens when asked to look at their photos.
Police then left the residence, but quickly realized that they were no longer able to track the phone, according to the report. Further investigation showed that the phone was registered to the address where Matthew Macdonald was residing, the report states.
Police returned to the Bridgeport residence and spoke with Macdonald’s father, who allegedly apologized for lying to police and said that his son had left with the missing teens. Police then called Macdonald back to the residence, though he arrived alone, the report states.
The teens were recovered the following morning.
While being questioned by police, Macdonald allegedly admitted to assisting in planning the disappearance of the two teens, and said he had purchased and registered the phones so the teens could not be tracked by law enforcement. Macdonald also told police that he had arranged for a ride share for the teens from the Montgomery Mall to his home in Bridgeport, according to the complaint.
Felony charges of concealment of the whereabouts of a child and interference with the custody of children were filed against Macdonald on July 8, and an arrest warrant was issued. Macdonald was subsequently arrested during an unrelated incident in Norristown Borough on Sept. 3, in which he was charged with a misdemeanor count of possession of a controlled substance and a summary charge of carrying a knife.
He was then transferred to the custody of the Montgomery Township Police Department.
Macdonald was arraigned on the felony charges on Sept. 4 by Magisterial District Judge Andrea Duffy, who set bail at $20,000 unsecured. He was then released from custody.
His next court appearance is a preliminary hearing in front of Judge Duffy on Sept. 18 at 1:45 p.m.
(Editor's note: All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using court records and the affidavit of probable cause, and reflects the point of view of the police. Should the defendant choose to issue a public statement, or is later found not guilty or has the charges dropped, we will update this article accordingly.)
See also:
Missing Montgomery Township Teens Found Safe
Missing Person Alert: Destiny Gardenier, Ryan Bower
Lansdale Woman Accused Of Assaulting Police At Wissahickon Apartments
Upper Gwynedd Man Charged With 50 Counts Of Possession Of Child Pornography
Lacrosse Camp Instructor Accused of Sending, Requesting Nude Photos
