Missing Nebraska teen found dead in bonfire pit in Arizona days after graduating from high school
06/28/2023 11:57 am PDT
MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. (TCD) -- Investigators are searching for answers after an 18-year-old male’s body was found in a burn pit in a state park just days after he graduated from high school.
According to KNXV-TV, on Monday, June 12, at around 7 a.m., officials from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office went to the Tonto National Forest after someone called to report finding a body in a bonfire pit "in a remote desert area" of the Bulldog Canyon OHV recreation area.
About a week later, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office positively identified the victim as Parker League. KNXV reports some of his personal belongings were found at a home in Tempe. The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office reportedly called League’s death "malicious."
KPNX-TV reports Maricopa County Public Information Officer Sgt. Joaquin Enriquez said in a news briefing, "The information we have available for release is he was found in the pile burning. So as far as the other details of whether he was placed there, whether that’s where he was, those are details we can’t get into."
League’s family in Nebraska reported him missing to Tempe Police on June 15. He had recently graduated from high school and was in Arizona visiting friends.
Hunter League, Parker’s brother, told KNXV someone tried to buy food and pay for an electric bill with Parker’s debit card.
Hunter said of his brother, "It’s hard to accept because he was the nicest kid in the world."
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