In Arizona, a volunteer group is organizing a search to find the remaining parts of Emily Pike, a 14-year-old Indigenous girl. The aim is to bring closure to her family and tribal community.
Emily Pike went missing from her group home in Mesa and was later found deceased near U.S. 60 northeast of Globe. Her body was found by hikers in a dismembered state, with some body parts still unaccounted for.
Twila Cassadore, a volunteer searcher, expressed that a part of Emily is still out there, waiting to be reunited with her family. The search is crucial to bring peace to Emily’s spirit and provide closure to her loved ones.
The Gila County Sheriff’s Office told ABC15 that additional searches with cadaver dogs have taken place in the area. The Tonto Rim Search and Rescue Team, the San Carlos Apache Tribe, the Department of Game and Fish, and U.S. Border Patrol assisted in these efforts.
FBI agents, Gila County deputies, and tribal police searched Emily’s mother’s home on the San Carlos Apache Reservation this week with the mother’s consent. No arrests were made, and no evidence was seized, according to an FBI spokesperson.
The sheriff’s office is actively pursuing 10 leads in Emily’s case but has not identified any suspects. Authorities said they will continue searching if new information emerges.
Cassadore, a San Carlos Apache tribal member, emphasized the cultural significance of finding Emily’s remains, stating, “In our Apache culture, you have to be whole when you go into the next life.”
Cassadore will lead another volunteer search on Tuesday at milepost 277, where Emily was first discovered, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Meanwhile, a task force formed shortly after the San Carlos Apache Tribe offered a $75,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in Emily’s case. To assist 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]
