A billboard offering a reward for information on the killing of Emily Pike stands along the side of Highway 60 towards Globe, Ariz., on Nov. 3, 2025. The reward has increased to $200,000
Her uncle, Allred Pike Jr., remembers her as a teenager who wanted to go to college. Who loved art. Who cared for her siblings and her parents.
“She endured a lot in her young life, but yet she looked towards the future,” he said.
He hopes people remember her as her family does.
“Smart, intelligent,” he said. “And even though she’s gone, she made a positive, positive impact on this world.”
He said that impact is tangible.
Since her disappearance, lawmakers passed Emily’s Law, establishing the Turquoise Alert system to expand public notification when Indigenous people and other vulnerable individuals go missing. Before her case, there were no statewide alerts exclusively for missing Indigenous people in Arizona.
“The first major one is the Turquoise Alert,” Pike Jr. said. “Not perfect, but it’s a step in the right direction. Saving lives. Law enforcement paying more attention. Bringing awareness.”
For Mary Kim Titla, executive director of United National Indian Tribal Youth, legislation alone does not define Emily’s legacy. Titla said she sees her death as a catalyst.
“We didn’t have this before the Emily Pike case, and now we have it,” Titla said. “So that’s a plus.”
One year after Emily Pike’s remains were found near Globe, her name lives on through Arizona’s Turquoise Alert system and renewed scrutiny of safety for young Indigenous people. But her. case remains unsolved.
cronkitenews.azpbs.org