On June 27, Glendale police announced that they believe they’ve identified human remains found in a backyard earlier this month to be those of a missing Queen Creek teen after receiving a tip from the artist who drew the boy’s distinct tattoos and immediately recognized them on a police sketch.
According to authorities, the decomposing body of a teenage boy was found on June 8 in the backyard of a home located in Glendale near 51st Avenue and Cactus Road. The resident renters of the home were reportedly unaware of the body until landscapers came out to clear overgrown weeds from the property that day.
The Queen Creek 16-year-old was last seen in October, and investigators believe his body has been in the Glendale backyard since then and that his death appears to be self-inflicted.
Officers arrived and identified the body as a boy between 15 and 16 years old who was 6 feet tall and had brown hair. Police are awaiting autopsy results to release the name of the teen.
"Queen Creek Police Department detectives are working jointly with the Glendale Police Department on a death investigation that occurred in their jurisdiction and may be related to a reported missing 16-year-old from Queen Creek in October 2023. As noted by Glendale police, 'this appears to be self-inflicted and not a homicide.' Glendale police are waiting for the final report from the medical examiner’s office to confirm the individual’s identity and release their name," said Jennifer Lamis, public information officer with the Queen Creek Police Department. "This remains an active and ongoing investigation. We are not able to provide additional details at this time."
