AZ - Parker League, 18, body found burning in firepit, Lost Dutchman State Park - Apache Junction, 12 June 2023 *arrest*

[arielilane]

Teen Who Went on Graduation Trip Is Found Dead, Burning in Ariz. Bonfire Pit, Police Call Death 'Malicious'

Parker League, 18, had recently graduated from high school in Nebraska

people.com

Published on June 27, 2023 04:27PM EDT

Police are investigating the death of a recent high school graduate from Nebraska whose remains were found burning in a bonfire pit in a remote desert area in Arizona.


Parker League, 18, was visiting friends in Tempe before his body was found June 12 in Arizona’s Tonto National Forest in a remote area called Bullfrog Canyon. The teen arrived in Arizona on June 9 and had plans to return home on June 12, according to ABC15.


"I knew he had a place to stay; I knew he got there,” his brother Hunter League told ABC15. “We texted... That's about it. It's hard to accept because he was the nicest kid in the world."

 

[arielilane]

View attachment 430909

The brother of 18-year-old Parker League spoke exclusively with ABC15 on Thursday. This is the first time the family has spoken since the teen's body was found in a bonfire pile at Bulldog Canyon, which is part of the Tonto National Forest.

Hunter was just two years older than his brother, who he also called his best friend. He said Parker had just graduated high school in Nebraska and decided to take a trip to Tempe to visit friends.

"I knew he had a place to stay; I knew he got there. We texted... that's about it," said Hunter.

The family says Parker flew in on June 9 and last messaged his brother on the 10th. He was supposed to fly home on the 12th but, that same day, his body was found. Parker's family says they were not made aware and filed a missing persons report with the Tempe Police Department on the 15th.

Campers say they've heard about recent crimes happening in Bulldog Canyon, including theft. ABC15 brought that up to Hunter and he believes Parker may have been targeted because of an expensive watch he took with him on the trip. The family says they also checked Parker's bank account and found two unusual transactions.

"We basically found out that someone was using his debit card to get food and tried to pay their electric bill with it," said Hunter.

Family of teen found in bonfire pile speaks with ABC15

The brother of 18-year-old Parker League spoke exclusively with ABC15 on Thursday and provided photos of Parker. This is the first time the family has spoken since the teen's body was found.

www.abc15.com

Thinking and hoping an arrest(s) would happen SOON since someone was using Parker's debit card for food and to pay a utility bill. Or maybe that person happened to have found the debit card and isn't even connected to the crime. Moo

 

[Trebor5591]

Thinking and hoping an arrest(s) would happen SOON since someone was using Parker's debit card for food and to pay a utility bill. Or maybe that person happened to have found the debit card and isn't even connected to the crime. Moo

IMO if someone finds a debit card, they either toss it in the trash or leave it lay. Honst people don't pick it up and try to buy stuff or pay bills. I feel the police should pay very close attention to whoever belonged to the utility bill, IMO

 

[Knox]

IMO if someone finds a debit card, they either toss it in the trash or leave it lay. Honst people don't pick it up and try to buy stuff or pay bills. I feel the police should pay very close attention to whoever belonged to the utility bill, IMO

I'm on the fence regarding the activity on the card. It's possible someone unconnected to the murder found the card and used/tried to use it. Wish we had an update of some kind.

 

[videogamer9008]

Has this location been used as a body location in the past? Is there a symbolic reference to the area?

I’ve heard there is, some really odd things that happen there. If you ask me this was caused by some drug (meth) heads that wanted to do some kinda ritualistic murder. Sad stuff!!

 

[sandy_80]

No information about the friend(s) he was staying with. I hope these "friends" didn't lure him somewhere (maybe to Arizona itself) and betray him somehow, this case is starting to give me Shanquella Robinson vibes. MOO

yes same..i was thinking why was the poor boy alone ? when he is visting from outa of state
why there is nothing about or from the friends.. no posts or mourning..!!
something fishy possibly

 

[arielilane]

Video is just over 2 minutes and family speaks out about Parker. Watch on YT by clicking at link. Thanks!

Family speaks out after missing teen's body found in bonfire pile​

 

[Dhighsmith]

yes same..i was thinking why was the poor boy alone ? when he is visting from outa of state
why there is nothing about or from the friends.. no posts or mourning..!!
something fishy possibly

LE is silent about this case leading me to think they have an idea of what occurred but not yet enough evidence for an arrest. Use of Debit Card in attempt to pay power bill is an idiot move, leads LE to the front door with address to utility account. No details of his travel plans but cases like this remind me how online gaming and social media exposes everyone to risk of people with ill intentions. Praying for his family.

 

[Trebor5591]

I'm on the fence regarding the activity on the card. It's possible someone unconnected to the murder found the card and used/tried to use it. Wish we had an update of some kind.

MOO, but I'm not on the fence at all. Whoever used his ATM card to pay a utility bill is either the murderer or knows the murderer. IMO.

 

[Cryptic]

but even with nighttime a raging fire in the middle of this flat area would attract attention. This is also apparently in the Tonto National Forest (Lost Dutchman Trails are included). Very strange and here-I-am! way to dispose of a body.

Fundamentally, I agree with everything. And now.... a few "ifs" "ands" and "buts".....

- As you noted, the fire was in a national forest (as opposed to a national park). Even in the best of times, national forests are no where near as well patrolled as national parks. Likewise, enforcement of regulations in national forests can be lax.

- The area is known for OHV and drug use. To say nothing of the drug use, OHV areas can attract some "Mad Max" mentality types who think that once tires get off road, its "anything goes" and laws, rules and common sense fade into the dust.

To a degree, I understand that gas fumes, revving engines and dust can be intoxicating and also understand the the desire to escape from civilization for a while.

But.... some people can take anything too far. In the end, given the reputation of the area, I dont think a large fire at night was going to attract attention.

 

[KooshBall]

I'm really curious if the friends were people that Parker knew in "real" life, or if he met them on the internet and this trip was his first time meeting them in person.

 

[arielilane]

On June 22, MCSO officials spoke out publicly about the case for the first time. Still, they refrained from disclosing several details to protect the integrity of the homicide investigation, including how the teen got to the desert and what happened to him.

“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," said Sgt. Joaquin Enriquez, a public information officer with MCSO. "Only certain people know details of that crime, so they can't be released to protect the integrity of investigation.”

MCSO searching for suspect after teen's body found in bonfire pit

Eighteen-year-old Parker League of Nebraska was visiting a friend in Tempe. He was reported missing by his family out of state.

www.12news.com

Updated: 6:21 AM MST June 23, 2023

The article also noted:

• Parker League was visiting a friend in Tempe, a family member out of state reported him missing.
• Parker was visiting a friend.
• Investigation continues to determine whether this was a family friend, or a close friend or was this somebody he met? "We don't know."

 

[Cedars]

On June 22, MCSO officials spoke out publicly about the case for the first time. Still, they refrained from disclosing several details to protect the integrity of the homicide investigation, including how the teen got to the desert and what happened to him.

“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," said Sgt. Joaquin Enriquez, a public information officer with MCSO. "Only certain people know details of that crime, so they can't be released to protect the integrity of investigation.”

MCSO searching for suspect after teen's body found in bonfire pit

Eighteen-year-old Parker League of Nebraska was visiting a friend in Tempe. He was reported missing by his family out of state.

www.12news.com

Updated: 6:21 AM MST June 23, 2023

The article also noted:

• Parker League was visiting a friend in Tempe, a family member out of state reported him missing.
• Parker was visiting a friend.
• Investigation continues to determine whether this was a family friend, or a close friend or was this somebody he met? "We don't know."

Very cagey interview. I'm guessing his phone was taken? Hope they've got some good leads.
JMO

 

[Knox]

Same news stories, no updates from MCSO. I hope progress is being made behind the scenes.

 

[pixiepixel]

• Investigation continues to determine whether this was a family friend, or a close friend or was this somebody he met? "We don't know."

It seems like Parker's trip was a general "just graduated" road trip (from this article), so I am guessing that this visit to a friend was spontaneous, not planned. If Parker planned to go on a trip meet so-and-so when he left home, surely his family, and therefore police, would know who this friend was and how Parker knew them. Unless Parker simply told family he had a friend he was going to crash with in Tempe and left it at that.

 

[JJ Ray]

Same news stories, no updates from MCSO. I hope progress is being made behind the scenes.

Remember Benjamin J. Anderson? Dec. 31, 2021. Some similarities (body dumped or murder on state or BLM land) but last seen/known to be in an incorporated area (Phoenix vs. Tempe). MCSO was always very cagey on details and 18 months later crickets on that one. I don't believe the two are related in the least but just to illustrate the difficulties faced.

I hope the friend of Parkers can be candid about all their activities those last few days. Who they met up with or hung out with. Hopefully that is occurring behind the scenes.

 

[Knox]

Remember Benjamin J. Anderson? Dec. 31, 2021. Some similarities (body dumped or murder on state or BLM land) but last seen/known to be in an incorporated area (Phoenix vs. Tempe). MCSO was always very cagey on details and 18 months later crickets on that one. I don't believe the two are related in the least but just to illustrate the difficulties faced.

I hope the friend of Parkers can be candid about all their activities those last few days. Who they met up with or hung out with. Hopefully that is occurring behind the scenes.

Yes, good reference case. If I recall correctly, MCSO is routinely silent on most of their cases - Kiera Bergman comes to mind. That case was a fumbled disaster! I feel so bad for her family.

LE must not need help from the public, no further requests through the media have been made. Hopefully that means they are tracing down the people he was last with.

 

[abbyrdpsu]

Arrest made in death of 18-year-old found in a bonfire pile in Tonto National Forest

A man is in custody in connection to the brutal death of 18-year-old Parker League, who was found in a bonfire pile in the Tonto National Forest in mid-June.

www.abc15.com

MCSO: Suspect arrested after 18-year-old's body found in bonfire pit

Parker League's body was found in a bonfire pit on the morning of June 12. Investigators have recently arrested a suspect for his murder.

www.12news.com

ETA second article with more details

 

[Cedars]

Arrest made in death of 18-year-old found in a bonfire pile in Tonto National Forest

A man is in custody in connection to the brutal death of 18-year-old Parker League, who was found in a bonfire pile in the Tonto National Forest in mid-June.

www.abc15.com

MCSO: Suspect arrested after 18-year-old's body found in bonfire pit

Parker League's body was found in a bonfire pit on the morning of June 12. Investigators have recently arrested a suspect for his murder.

www.12news.com

ETA second article with more details

Good police work, shocking story: It sounds like he was lured to trust a couple, who in reality saw the young man as nothing but a disposible source of cash.

Will be interested to learn the background of the accused, and the role of the woman.

JMO

 

[Knox]

Good police work, shocking story: It sounds like he was lured to trust a couple, who in reality saw the young man as nothing but a disposible source of cash.

Will be interested to learn the background of the accused, and the role of the woman.

JMO

An eighteen year old kid who just gradulated high school doesn't seem like that great of a target for money? There has to be more to this story.

I have more questions than ever. Where were the friends Parker came to visit? Who dropped him off? Was he meeting Ruinard at the club? What does a 37 year old man want with a kid like Parker? Are drugs involved?