Emily Pike, a 14-year-old indigenous teen from Arizona, was the victim of two reported sexual assault cases. Tragically, she was found dead and dismembered on Valentine’s Day.
After the second assault incident, tribal social workers from the San Carlos Apache community took custody of Emily. She was placed in foster care for 18 months, which included a period at a group home in Mesa. However, in January 2025, she ran away and never returned.
Her body was discovered close to Globe on February 14. Regrettably, no suspects have been apprehended in connection with her murder. Authorities revealed that some of her body parts had been placed in trash bags, and to date, some of her remains remain missing.
On Thursday, the FBI confirmed it is investigating a report that Emily was sexually assaulted in the Whiteriver area in early 2023.
The alleged crime occurred on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. An FBI spokesperson told ABC15 that authorities did not prosecute the suspect in Emily’s case, but he has faced indictment on other federal charges.
Federal court records show that the suspect was indicted in 2024 for aggravated sexual abuse, abusive sexual contact, and sexual abuse of a minor.
The indictment claimed the suspect was between 12 and 16 years old at the time of the crime. Federal court records show that a judge ordered him to be detained in federal custody pending a trial set for July.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, in July 2023, a different perpetrator allegedly sexually assaulted Emily on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation.
A special agent with the Bureau of Indian Affairs reported that Emily could not answer questions about the attack and provided details that could not be independently verified, according to interviews and records obtained by The Arizona Republic.
“Emily was unable to provide specific dates and times of when such offenses actually occurred,” Special Agent Jose Verdugo wrote in an incident report on July 19, 2023. “The case lacked physical evidence and/or corroborating information.”
Verdugo said he discussed the information with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and concluded that the case was unsuitable for federal prosecution.
However, federal prosecutors maintained that no law enforcement agency submitted the case for review, which is a prerequisite before any prosecution can be declined.
We never received a submission,” U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesperson Esther Winneb told the Republic. “There was no written declaration.”
An investigation by The Republic on April 15 revealed that the tribe’s Game and Fish Department, not the San Carlos Apache Police Department, was the lead agency in the case, and tribal prosecutors released the suspect without filing charges.
Tribal officials reportedly arrested a relative, but later released him without filing charges. Officials have not explained why the tribal Game and Fish Department, rather than police, led the investigation or why prosecutors dropped the case.
The tribe has since announced it will start its own independent investigation into the matter.
“The tribe is now addressing serious concerns about the handling of sexual assault charges Emily Pike made in 2023,” the tribe said in a statement. “Questions have arisen regarding why the alleged assailant was not prosecuted and why the tribe’s police and specialized law enforcement officers were excluded from the investigation.”
Meanwhile, police said that no one has been ruled out as a suspect in the ongoing murder investigation. The relative accused of sexual assault has not been publicly named, as the charges were dropped, but had reportedly visited Emily’s home even after the assault took place.
As the investigation into her murder continues, the tribe is offering a $75,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
“Our Council has offered a $75,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Emily’s murder,” Rambler stated in the letter that accompanied the resolution. “We have requested the public to supplement the reward to generate more interest and leads.”
To assist in the investigation, the Gila County Sheriff’s Office and the San Carlos Apache Police Department have set up an online tip portal where anonymous tips can be submitted through tips411.
Information can also be reported to the Sheriff’s Office at 928-425-4449, option 1, or the San Carlos Apache Police Department at 928-475-1700.
Check back for updates.
[Feature Photo via Mesa police]
