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EMILY PIKE: Previously missing 14-year-old found dismembered on side of highway in Arizona (1 Viewer)

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www.abc15.com

Homicide investigation underway after girl missing from Mesa was found dead near Globe

A homicide investigation is underway after the remains of a missing girl were found earlier this month, according to the Gila County Sheriff's Office.
www.abc15.com www.abc15.com

Homicide investigation underway after girl missing from Mesa was found dead near Globe​

A homicide investigation is underway after the remains of a missing girl were found earlier this month, according to the Gila County Sheriff's Office.

On February 14, the remains of an unidentified female were located off Highway 60 near milepost 277, northeast of Globe.

On Thursday, GCSO said the remains were identified as a girl from the San Carlos Apache Tribe missing out of Mesa.

Officials confirmed Friday that the remains were that of 14-year-old Emily Pike.

Mesa Police Department said Pike was last seen after leaving a residence near Mesa Drive and McKellips Road on January 27.

The incident is being investigated as a homicide.

Anyone with any information regarding this case is asked to contact the Gila County Sheriff's Office detective at 928-200-2352, the Bureau of Indian Affairs special agent at 505-917-7830, or the San Carlos Apache Tribal Police detective at 928-475-1755.

www.kktv.com

GRAPHIC: Body of missing 14-year-old girl found dismembered off highway, authorities say

Arizona authorities confirmed a missing teen has been found dead off an area highway.
www.kktv.com www.kktv.com

GRAPHIC: Body of missing 14-year-old girl found dismembered off highway, authorities say​

The Gila County Sheriff’s Office said on Thursday that the body that was found in the woods belonged to a missing Native American girl.

According to the Gila County Sheriff’s Office, the girl was identified as 14-year-old Emily Pike, who was last seen on Jan. 27 near Mesa Drive and McKellips Road.

Deputies said Emily was from the San Carlos Apache Tribe, and the Gila County Sheriff’s Office is leading the homicide investigation.

Authorities called the scene disturbing where they discovered the teen’s body off the U.S. 60, a few miles away from the Jackson Butte Recreation area on Feb. 14.

The sheriff’s office said detectives found a head and torso in large contractor trash bags with the girl’s legs in separate bags.

However, they couldn’t find her arms and hands.

The preliminary autopsy results found the girl had visible face and head trauma.
 
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This sounds like psycho serial killer stuff..... is this Mesa Arizona??? I just need an extra set of eyes to confirm this for me please.... dizzy spells got me today
 
Takeitfromme said:
This sounds like psycho serial killer stuff..... is this Mesa Arizona??? I just need an extra set of eyes to confirm this for me please.... dizzy spells got me today
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Yeah it's AZ. Looked back up to be sure and recognized other area names and then it said AZ mom when referring to her mom.
 
Takeitfromme said:
This sounds like psycho serial killer stuff..... is this Mesa Arizona??? I just need an extra set of eyes to confirm this for me please.... dizzy spells got me today
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Re a psycho SK, does sound like that but not convinced on it. However doing something like this does make the person/people capable of doing it to others which would make them an SK...
 
ALL the trigger warnings for this story.

Sexual assault, suicide attempts: Emily Pike's painful past lingers after death​

Fourteen-year-old Emily Pike was a victim long before her dismembered body was found off Highway 60 north of Globe on Valentine's Day.

She was sexually assaulted on the San Carlos Apache Reservation when she was 13. Tribal officials arrested a relative but released the alleged attacker without prosecution.

She was taken from her mom's custody for safety. She attempted suicide at a group home by hanging herself with a shoelace from a doorknob and cutting her wrists.

She was a frequent runaway. She once reached for the gun of a police officer who stopped her and said she no longer wanted to be in the world: "I am going to go to hell and you guys are all going to be there."

Emily ran away for the last time on Jan. 27.

The sexual assault and its aftermath help to explain Emily's dramatic behavioral shift from a soft-spoken and smiling artist to a withdrawn, self-destructive teen who was prescribed antidepressants.

But there's no explanation for how the case was handled — why the tribal Game and Fish Department and not police led the investigation, and why prosecutors dropped it.

Tribal leaders declined interview requests. San Carlos Apache Chairman Terry Rambler and Vice Chair Tao Etpison would not answer questions about the sexual assault.

On April 14, in response to inquiries by The Arizona Republic, the tribe announced it would launch an independent investigation.

"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."

The sexual assault case raises questions that loom over the ongoing homicide investigation. Authorities said they have not ruled anyone out as a potential suspect, including the person arrested in 2023.

Family and friends, many of whom didn't learn of the assault until after Emily's death, said the circumstances highlight systemic failures in the tribal social safety net. They want to know why so many agencies — police, Game and Fish, prosecutors, social services — were unable to protect her.


"Everyone let that girl down," Emily's uncle, Allred Pike Jr., said. "The system failed her in all aspects, not one, not two, all of it. ... She's just a 14-year-old that maybe wanted to see some friends, wanted to come home."

The Republic pieced together the last 18 months of Emily's troubled life through police records and interviews.

Emily's mother, uncle, aunt and grandmother talked about who Emily was and what they've learned since Emily's body was found. Friends described the girl she used to be.

The Gila County Sheriff's Office, Mesa Police Department and San Carlos Apache Police Department confirmed aspects of the homicide investigation, the sexual assault and Emily's suicide and runaway attempts. The owner of a group home discussed the psychological damage Emily had to live with and why she was so determined to return home.

Like the tribe's top leaders, tribal officials directly involved in Emily's sexual assault case also were silent.

Tribal Social Services case workers who removed Emily from her home referred questions to tribal lawyers. They ignored interview requests. The tribal prosecutor who decided not to charge Emily's alleged assailant did not return phone messages.

A spokesperson for the San Carlos Apache Police Department said the agency did not investigate Emily's 2023 assault, and any questions about it should go to the Game and Fish Department.

Why Game and Fish? That department's director didn't respond.


MUCH MORE at the link. Very long article with lots of details.
 
SheWhoMustNotBeNamed said:
ALL the trigger warnings for this story.

Sexual assault, suicide attempts: Emily Pike's painful past lingers after death​

Fourteen-year-old Emily Pike was a victim long before her dismembered body was found off Highway 60 north of Globe on Valentine's Day.

She was sexually assaulted on the San Carlos Apache Reservation when she was 13. Tribal officials arrested a relative but released the alleged attacker without prosecution.

She was taken from her mom's custody for safety. She attempted suicide at a group home by hanging herself with a shoelace from a doorknob and cutting her wrists.

She was a frequent runaway. She once reached for the gun of a police officer who stopped her and said she no longer wanted to be in the world: "I am going to go to hell and you guys are all going to be there."

Emily ran away for the last time on Jan. 27.

The sexual assault and its aftermath help to explain Emily's dramatic behavioral shift from a soft-spoken and smiling artist to a withdrawn, self-destructive teen who was prescribed antidepressants.

But there's no explanation for how the case was handled — why the tribal Game and Fish Department and not police led the investigation, and why prosecutors dropped it.

Tribal leaders declined interview requests. San Carlos Apache Chairman Terry Rambler and Vice Chair Tao Etpison would not answer questions about the sexual assault.

On April 14, in response to inquiries by The Arizona Republic, the tribe announced it would launch an independent investigation.

"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."

The sexual assault case raises questions that loom over the ongoing homicide investigation. Authorities said they have not ruled anyone out as a potential suspect, including the person arrested in 2023.

Family and friends, many of whom didn't learn of the assault until after Emily's death, said the circumstances highlight systemic failures in the tribal social safety net. They want to know why so many agencies — police, Game and Fish, prosecutors, social services — were unable to protect her.


"Everyone let that girl down," Emily's uncle, Allred Pike Jr., said. "The system failed her in all aspects, not one, not two, all of it. ... She's just a 14-year-old that maybe wanted to see some friends, wanted to come home."

The Republic pieced together the last 18 months of Emily's troubled life through police records and interviews.

Emily's mother, uncle, aunt and grandmother talked about who Emily was and what they've learned since Emily's body was found. Friends described the girl she used to be.

The Gila County Sheriff's Office, Mesa Police Department and San Carlos Apache Police Department confirmed aspects of the homicide investigation, the sexual assault and Emily's suicide and runaway attempts. The owner of a group home discussed the psychological damage Emily had to live with and why she was so determined to return home.

Like the tribe's top leaders, tribal officials directly involved in Emily's sexual assault case also were silent.

Tribal Social Services case workers who removed Emily from her home referred questions to tribal lawyers. They ignored interview requests. The tribal prosecutor who decided not to charge Emily's alleged assailant did not return phone messages.

A spokesperson for the San Carlos Apache Police Department said the agency did not investigate Emily's 2023 assault, and any questions about it should go to the Game and Fish Department.

Why Game and Fish? That department's director didn't respond.


MUCH MORE at the link. Very long article with lots of details.
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I don't trust myself to read more nor to comment right now.

I'll just generally say our children, elderly and the vulnerable are not protected. And that I don't agree with the "inside" handling of such cases.

I don't dare say more right now although a ton of thoughts are roaring... Far more specific ones.
 
This is horrible! I hope those who were supposed to protect her are going to be facing some harsh consequences!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
SheWhoMustNotBeNamed said:
ALL the trigger warnings for this story.

Sexual assault, suicide attempts: Emily Pike's painful past lingers after death​

Fourteen-year-old Emily Pike was a victim long before her dismembered body was found off Highway 60 north of Globe on Valentine's Day.

She was sexually assaulted on the San Carlos Apache Reservation when she was 13. Tribal officials arrested a relative but released the alleged attacker without prosecution.

She was taken from her mom's custody for safety. She attempted suicide at a group home by hanging herself with a shoelace from a doorknob and cutting her wrists.

She was a frequent runaway. She once reached for the gun of a police officer who stopped her and said she no longer wanted to be in the world: "I am going to go to hell and you guys are all going to be there."

Emily ran away for the last time on Jan. 27.

The sexual assault and its aftermath help to explain Emily's dramatic behavioral shift from a soft-spoken and smiling artist to a withdrawn, self-destructive teen who was prescribed antidepressants.

But there's no explanation for how the case was handled — why the tribal Game and Fish Department and not police led the investigation, and why prosecutors dropped it.

Tribal leaders declined interview requests. San Carlos Apache Chairman Terry Rambler and Vice Chair Tao Etpison would not answer questions about the sexual assault.

On April 14, in response to inquiries by The Arizona Republic, the tribe announced it would launch an independent investigation.

"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."

The sexual assault case raises questions that loom over the ongoing homicide investigation. Authorities said they have not ruled anyone out as a potential suspect, including the person arrested in 2023.

Family and friends, many of whom didn't learn of the assault until after Emily's death, said the circumstances highlight systemic failures in the tribal social safety net. They want to know why so many agencies — police, Game and Fish, prosecutors, social services — were unable to protect her.


"Everyone let that girl down," Emily's uncle, Allred Pike Jr., said. "The system failed her in all aspects, not one, not two, all of it. ... She's just a 14-year-old that maybe wanted to see some friends, wanted to come home."

The Republic pieced together the last 18 months of Emily's troubled life through police records and interviews.

Emily's mother, uncle, aunt and grandmother talked about who Emily was and what they've learned since Emily's body was found. Friends described the girl she used to be.

The Gila County Sheriff's Office, Mesa Police Department and San Carlos Apache Police Department confirmed aspects of the homicide investigation, the sexual assault and Emily's suicide and runaway attempts. The owner of a group home discussed the psychological damage Emily had to live with and why she was so determined to return home.

Like the tribe's top leaders, tribal officials directly involved in Emily's sexual assault case also were silent.

Tribal Social Services case workers who removed Emily from her home referred questions to tribal lawyers. They ignored interview requests. The tribal prosecutor who decided not to charge Emily's alleged assailant did not return phone messages.

A spokesperson for the San Carlos Apache Police Department said the agency did not investigate Emily's 2023 assault, and any questions about it should go to the Game and Fish Department.

Why Game and Fish? That department's director didn't respond.


MUCH MORE at the link. Very long article with lots of details.
Click to expand...
So removed her from her mother's home for her safety sounds a lot like she was assaulted by somebody in that home.
 

Emily Pike’s father plans to sue Mesa group home, and some relatives are outraged​

The father of a 14-year-old girl whose dismembered body was found off Highway 60 on Valentine's Day is taking steps to sue the Mesa group home where she was last seen alive.

Emily Pike's father met with lawyers from the Phillips Law Group and agreed to file a lawsuit from a prison in Eloy, where he is serving time for arson and criminal damage, his mother said on April 25.

"My son is the one who's doing it," Emily's grandmother, Agatha Key, told The Republic. "He called me and told me ... They (lawyers) went there and talked to him."

Jensen Pike, a member of the San Carlos Apache tribe, told lawyers he wants justice for his daughter, Key said.

News of the lawsuit was met with outrage by other members of the Pike family, who helped to organize her memorial service in March and have led efforts to bring national attention to her case.

"This lawsuit is wrong on so many levels," Emily's aunt, Carolyn Pike-Bender, said Friday. "It is very upsetting."

Pike-Bender, who in 2023 sought to adopt Emily, said the lawsuit undermines public statements her family has made about not wanting to benefit from Emily's death.

"If money is going to come out of this, it should go to a foundation set up in Emily's name," she said.

Key initially told The Republic that Jensen and Emily's mother, Steff Dosela, were both involved in the lawsuit and that lawyers had talked to Dosela by phone. But on April 26 Key backed off those claims and said only her son was involved.


Dosela, on April 26, said she was not contacted by any lawyers and was unaware of the lawsuit plan until after Key came forward. However, Dosela said she was not opposed to suing the group home and would consider signing on to a lawsuit, especially if it could protect other children.

"Yes, if there a chance to save other kids' lives out there," she said. "Having a daughter, I want no other kids' mothers especially to go through what I'm going through."

Representatives of Phillips Law Group confirmed on April 26 no lawsuit has yet been filed. The firm so far represents only Jensen in the case. A spokesperson said the firm was also working closely with Key, who has helped coordinate communication with her son.

"There has been no lawsuit filed on behalf of the family of Emily Pike," Phillips Law Group spokesperson Olivia Lemorrocco said. "The family is currently investigating all potential avenues of recourse, including a civil claim against the group home."

Lemorrocco said the law firm is collecting public records about group homes to determine if any procedures were violated at the one where Emily lived.

"We will turn over every rock to get justice for Emily and her family," she said.

The law group's Facebook page on April 25 said it was an honor to represent Pike's family in the action against the group home.

"Far too many tragedies are unfolding within these facilities, and we are committed to fighting for justice for Emily and her family," the firm said in its post.
 
Boy. Clearly issues here.

I don't agree with lawsuits generally but sometimes do fully endorse such. Minute I read dad is in prison and filing one, that was about enough for me to say NO, not right.

Yet from the start this home has sounded not great/not right/and a bit suspect.

This case clearly has a lot of things that imo could be talked of, including some tough ones.

One of those is that at least in my state reservations largely police their own and local LE doesn't and there are rules about that.

Not sure about AZ but know there are of course several tribes.

Also another thing is being back to homes or nonprofits and such. There is a lot that goes on there and people if they dig can find out a ton but it takes some digging. I'm sure not saying all are bad but nonprofit is the very wrong word for some....

Let me just try to focus if I can on one thing despite it being obvious various family members do not agree.

I come from a state with quite a bit of res land and such and casinos and so on. I spent a lot of my life single, preferring that after a bad first marriage. A casino was an easy place to go if you felt awkward being out alone and weren't a bit drinker and so on. How do I stay on track here? I also worked at a job for 20 years where my boss was very familiar and even had friends on the res near us. Our part of the state had quite a bit of such. We had claims and such and accidents, even suicides and murders LE could not go in on. They police themselves.

Okay, not sidetracking further on that, just a bit of background there--anyhow I wasn't a stranger to casinos back in the day. And I'm a sociable person. I had some really good talks over time, and learned a lot, and just like going to Mexico to the same place for 12 years, I got to know the locals and not just the tourist side.

I remember one talk at a casino once with a local man from the res. Perhaps the most honest one I ever had. And I think he may have even been surprised I knew more than a bit about it.

I don't think I will wind this up or say much more other than to say I think there are many things going on here in this case. Part of what he did tell me is the help and the rules and even money don't help them and their kids out. It enables actually. Then there is this home, the families, the dad in prison. I'm going to leave it there and tread carefully.

What happened to this girl is awful.

And another thing that stands out to me at least is that it is said that in this tribe, they don't believe you go to their "heaven" unless the body is together and she was not together...

There is just so much.

And dad is suing from prison. Wow. And some law group probably runs there. Honestly what? Well they do end up with about half. Never believe that 30 percent sh*t.

We seem to have some family here upset and wanting it to help others and be in her name and not a money making thing. I don't always disagree with it. I think for instance the Petitos had every right to try to sue and they are trying to do good things with it.

I guess again there are a lot of things in THIS case going on. I don't like almost a thing I've heard about that home or from their director's mouth. I don't disagree necessarily they need a good hard look, but sounds to me like prisoner dad is just after money. How it sounds at the moment anyhow.... How much was he there for his daughter I HAVE to wonder....?

Kind of a varied subject post, but I tried. This case has all these various things in it.
 
www.abc15.com

US Attorney's Office: Emily Pike's sex assault case was never 'submitted' for review

In July 2023, Emily Pike reported she was sexually assaulted while living on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in eastern Arizona, according to relatives and law enforcement sources.
www.abc15.com www.abc15.com

US Attorney's Office: Emily Pike's sex assault case was never 'submitted' for review​

In July 2023, Emily Pike reported she was sexually assaulted while living on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in eastern Arizona, according to relatives and law enforcement sources.

The ABC15 investigators are looking into the criminal investigation, which occurred 18 months before Emily's disappearance and murder.

Federal law enforcement agents say the 2023 sex crime case got a "full investigation," but federal prosecutors say the case files were never submitted for a charging decision.

For weeks, Emily's family members have questioned why the alleged perpetrator was never charged.


As for the 2023 sexual assault case, Allred said that Emily's allegations were initially investigated by tribal Game and Fish officers.

On Wednesday, the ABC15 Investigators learned tribal law enforcement agents also referred the case to Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement officers who completed a "full investigation" of Emily's sexual assault case, according to a BIA spokesperson.

"BIA agents conducted a full investigation, including arranging a specialized child forensic interview at a child advocacy center and coordinating with other agencies, including federal and tribal prosecutors and tribal social services," BIA's spokesperson wrote in an email to ABC15.

A relative told ABC15 this was the second time that Emily had been a victim in a sexual assault case. The BIA spokesperson confirmed Wednesday, "A separate incident involving the same juvenile was investigated by the FBI." ABC15 is still trying to get additional details about the time, location, and suspect from that case.

Based on agreements with tribes in Arizona, the FBI investigates sex crimes against children ages 12 and under. The BIA has jurisdiction over all other sex assault cases, including those involving older children.

Once a criminal investigation is completed, tribal prosecutors would handle charging decisions for misdemeanor cases, and the U.S. Attorney would make charging decisions for alleged felonies, including sex crimes, occurring on tribal lands.

However, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Phoenix told ABC15 the July 2023 case on the San Carlos reservation was never "submitted to our office for review." No criminal charges were ever filed.

The ABC15 Investigators are following up for more details on the "coordination" between law enforcement agents and prosecutors to learn the outcome of the investigation.
 
SheWhoMustNotBeNamed said:
www.abc15.com

US Attorney's Office: Emily Pike's sex assault case was never 'submitted' for review

In July 2023, Emily Pike reported she was sexually assaulted while living on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in eastern Arizona, according to relatives and law enforcement sources.
www.abc15.com www.abc15.com

US Attorney's Office: Emily Pike's sex assault case was never 'submitted' for review​

In July 2023, Emily Pike reported she was sexually assaulted while living on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in eastern Arizona, according to relatives and law enforcement sources.

The ABC15 investigators are looking into the criminal investigation, which occurred 18 months before Emily's disappearance and murder.

Federal law enforcement agents say the 2023 sex crime case got a "full investigation," but federal prosecutors say the case files were never submitted for a charging decision.

For weeks, Emily's family members have questioned why the alleged perpetrator was never charged.


As for the 2023 sexual assault case, Allred said that Emily's allegations were initially investigated by tribal Game and Fish officers.

On Wednesday, the ABC15 Investigators learned tribal law enforcement agents also referred the case to Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement officers who completed a "full investigation" of Emily's sexual assault case, according to a BIA spokesperson.

"BIA agents conducted a full investigation, including arranging a specialized child forensic interview at a child advocacy center and coordinating with other agencies, including federal and tribal prosecutors and tribal social services," BIA's spokesperson wrote in an email to ABC15.

A relative told ABC15 this was the second time that Emily had been a victim in a sexual assault case. The BIA spokesperson confirmed Wednesday, "A separate incident involving the same juvenile was investigated by the FBI." ABC15 is still trying to get additional details about the time, location, and suspect from that case.

Based on agreements with tribes in Arizona, the FBI investigates sex crimes against children ages 12 and under. The BIA has jurisdiction over all other sex assault cases, including those involving older children.

Once a criminal investigation is completed, tribal prosecutors would handle charging decisions for misdemeanor cases, and the U.S. Attorney would make charging decisions for alleged felonies, including sex crimes, occurring on tribal lands.

However, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Phoenix told ABC15 the July 2023 case on the San Carlos reservation was never "submitted to our office for review." No criminal charges were ever filed.

The ABC15 Investigators are following up for more details on the "coordination" between law enforcement agents and prosecutors to learn the outcome of the investigation.
Click to expand...
Angry Inside Out GIF by Disney Pixar
 

Special agent closed Emily Pike sexual assault case within days despite arrest of suspect​

Days after Emily Pike reported being sexually assaulted on the San Carlos Apache Reservation in 2023, a federal investigator was ready to close the case for lack of evidence.

A special agent with Bureau of Indian Affairs, who had interviewed Emily, said the 13-year-old could not answer questions about the attack and offered details that could not be independently verified, according to interviews and records shared with The Arizona Republic.

"Emily was unable to provide specific dates and times of when such offenses actually occurred," Special Agent Jose Verdugo wrote in a July 19, 2023, incident report. "The case lacked physical evidence and/or corroborating information."

Verdugo said he spoke with the U.S. Attorney's Office "regarding the information and concluded the case would not be suitable for federal prosecution."

But federal prosecutors maintain no federal or tribal law enforcement agency submitted a case for a review of charges, a required step before a prosecution is declined.

The Arizona U.S. Attorney's Office told The Republic it has no record of receiving paperwork or phone calls suggesting any agency tried to make a case in Emily's sexual assault, even after tribal authorities briefly arrested a suspect in 2023.

"We never received a submission," U.S. Attorney's Office spokesperson Esther Winne said. "There was no written declaration."

An April 15 investigation by The Republic found 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, who was not charged.

The sexual assault and its aftermath help to explain Emily's dramatic behavioral shift. She went from a soft-spoken and smiling artist to a withdrawn, self-destructive teen who attempted suicide on multiple occasions, even after the tribal Social Services Department removed her from her home in Peridot.

Tribal leaders promised an independent review to find out why the alleged assailant wasn't charged and why the tribe's "specialized law enforcement officers were excluded from the investigation."

A Bureau of Indian Affairs spokesperson told The Republic on April 30 the sexual assault was "closed administratively" because of insufficient evidence.

"However, it can be reopened if additional information or evidence is provided," BIA spokesperson Joshua Barnett said in an email.


The finger-pointing among federal and tribal agencies underscores what Emily's relatives describe as systemic failures in the tribal social safety net and why so many agencies were unable to protect her.

"Everyone let that girl down," Emily's uncle Allred Pike Jr. told The Republic. "The system failed her in all aspects."


Emily's mother, Steff Dosela, wants questions about Emily's sexual assault to stop.

In an April 29 interview, she told The Republic she worries her daughter won't be able to "rest" if her past is continually dredged up. She said Emily won't be able to find peace.

Dosela said the focus needs to be on finding her killer.

Dosela confirmed she was present when the Bureau of Affairs agent and a tribal official interviewed Emily about the assault. She said she felt like the agent disliked her family or "was tired of hearing" about them.

Both Dosela and her husband, Jensen Pike, have long histories with addiction. Jensen lived on the streets in Phoenix and has been in and out of prison. He is currently incarcerated in Eloy on arson and criminal damage charges.

Lawyers representing Jensen said on April 25 they were preparing to sue Morales' group home, although no lawsuit has yet been filed.

Dosela, who spends much of her day posting memories of Emily and sharing pictures of other missing children on Facebook, said she was not involved in the lawsuit and has no interest in benefiting financially from her daughter's death.

She said she is now a month and a half sober and her only interest was in keeping other kids safe.
 
SheWhoMustNotBeNamed said:
www.abc15.com

US Attorney's Office: Emily Pike's sex assault case was never 'submitted' for review

In July 2023, Emily Pike reported she was sexually assaulted while living on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in eastern Arizona, according to relatives and law enforcement sources.
www.abc15.com www.abc15.com

US Attorney's Office: Emily Pike's sex assault case was never 'submitted' for review​

In July 2023, Emily Pike reported she was sexually assaulted while living on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in eastern Arizona, according to relatives and law enforcement sources.

The ABC15 investigators are looking into the criminal investigation, which occurred 18 months before Emily's disappearance and murder.

Federal law enforcement agents say the 2023 sex crime case got a "full investigation," but federal prosecutors say the case files were never submitted for a charging decision.

For weeks, Emily's family members have questioned why the alleged perpetrator was never charged.


As for the 2023 sexual assault case, Allred said that Emily's allegations were initially investigated by tribal Game and Fish officers.

On Wednesday, the ABC15 Investigators learned tribal law enforcement agents also referred the case to Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement officers who completed a "full investigation" of Emily's sexual assault case, according to a BIA spokesperson.

"BIA agents conducted a full investigation, including arranging a specialized child forensic interview at a child advocacy center and coordinating with other agencies, including federal and tribal prosecutors and tribal social services," BIA's spokesperson wrote in an email to ABC15.

A relative told ABC15 this was the second time that Emily had been a victim in a sexual assault case. The BIA spokesperson confirmed Wednesday, "A separate incident involving the same juvenile was investigated by the FBI." ABC15 is still trying to get additional details about the time, location, and suspect from that case.

Based on agreements with tribes in Arizona, the FBI investigates sex crimes against children ages 12 and under. The BIA has jurisdiction over all other sex assault cases, including those involving older children.

Once a criminal investigation is completed, tribal prosecutors would handle charging decisions for misdemeanor cases, and the U.S. Attorney would make charging decisions for alleged felonies, including sex crimes, occurring on tribal lands.

However, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Phoenix told ABC15 the July 2023 case on the San Carlos reservation was never "submitted to our office for review." No criminal charges were ever filed.

The ABC15 Investigators are following up for more details on the "coordination" between law enforcement agents and prosecutors to learn the outcome of the investigation.
Click to expand...
Yep. Their own law. Not real sure if that is a good or bad thing. I have stories I have NEVER shared from our state........ Just that not all agree with such and it is just like power anywhere and protect your own. I'll leave that there....
 
SheWhoMustNotBeNamed said:

Special agent closed Emily Pike sexual assault case within days despite arrest of suspect​

Days after Emily Pike reported being sexually assaulted on the San Carlos Apache Reservation in 2023, a federal investigator was ready to close the case for lack of evidence.

A special agent with Bureau of Indian Affairs, who had interviewed Emily, said the 13-year-old could not answer questions about the attack and offered details that could not be independently verified, according to interviews and records shared with The Arizona Republic.

"Emily was unable to provide specific dates and times of when such offenses actually occurred," Special Agent Jose Verdugo wrote in a July 19, 2023, incident report. "The case lacked physical evidence and/or corroborating information."

Verdugo said he spoke with the U.S. Attorney's Office "regarding the information and concluded the case would not be suitable for federal prosecution."

But federal prosecutors maintain no federal or tribal law enforcement agency submitted a case for a review of charges, a required step before a prosecution is declined.

The Arizona U.S. Attorney's Office told The Republic it has no record of receiving paperwork or phone calls suggesting any agency tried to make a case in Emily's sexual assault, even after tribal authorities briefly arrested a suspect in 2023.

"We never received a submission," U.S. Attorney's Office spokesperson Esther Winne said. "There was no written declaration."

An April 15 investigation by The Republic found 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, who was not charged.

The sexual assault and its aftermath help to explain Emily's dramatic behavioral shift. She went from a soft-spoken and smiling artist to a withdrawn, self-destructive teen who attempted suicide on multiple occasions, even after the tribal Social Services Department removed her from her home in Peridot.

Tribal leaders promised an independent review to find out why the alleged assailant wasn't charged and why the tribe's "specialized law enforcement officers were excluded from the investigation."

A Bureau of Indian Affairs spokesperson told The Republic on April 30 the sexual assault was "closed administratively" because of insufficient evidence.

"However, it can be reopened if additional information or evidence is provided," BIA spokesperson Joshua Barnett said in an email.


The finger-pointing among federal and tribal agencies underscores what Emily's relatives describe as systemic failures in the tribal social safety net and why so many agencies were unable to protect her.

"Everyone let that girl down," Emily's uncle Allred Pike Jr. told The Republic. "The system failed her in all aspects."


Emily's mother, Steff Dosela, wants questions about Emily's sexual assault to stop.

In an April 29 interview, she told The Republic she worries her daughter won't be able to "rest" if her past is continually dredged up. She said Emily won't be able to find peace.

Dosela said the focus needs to be on finding her killer.

Dosela confirmed she was present when the Bureau of Affairs agent and a tribal official interviewed Emily about the assault. She said she felt like the agent disliked her family or "was tired of hearing" about them.

Both Dosela and her husband, Jensen Pike, have long histories with addiction. Jensen lived on the streets in Phoenix and has been in and out of prison. He is currently incarcerated in Eloy on arson and criminal damage charges.

Lawyers representing Jensen said on April 25 they were preparing to sue Morales' group home, although no lawsuit has yet been filed.

Dosela, who spends much of her day posting memories of Emily and sharing pictures of other missing children on Facebook, said she was not involved in the lawsuit and has no interest in benefiting financially from her daughter's death.

She said she is now a month and a half sober and her only interest was in keeping other kids safe.
Click to expand...
:thud:

Who knows and they do need proof but this sounds a bit like one is claiming this is what went on and the other saying well they never pursued it and so on and so on.

I'm sorry, I think I said before I sometimes agree with lawsuits and sometimes don't. Also sorry that imo a dad in prison not helping his minor daughter doesn't need to be suing for anything.

I'd trust more the ones not looking for money.

She was 14, I mean she could have made false allegations, hard to say, but then why are they tossing the ball on what happened....?

AND she ended up dead and dismembered.

This is a case not sure I wish I ever looked at but people have to sometimes. Imo we can't just ignore this sh*t. It has to be talked of, yelled about. Imo.

I shared a little bit about I have talked to many a person about how it works in our state anyhow, and SD too. A few places.

It's no different in that it is those with the power over those that don't have it and I'll just leave it at that.

I could go far in the weeds on it but not going to.

Man so many cases are coming to mind with details but I can't bring names to mind lately.

Clearly her family didn't get along and clearly she didn't' have it easy and that much seems obvious.
 
www.abc15.com

'We finally have hope': Arizona lawmakers pass bill creating turquoise alerts for missing Indigenous people

Arizona lawmakers have unanimously passed "Emily's Law," a bill named for 14-year-old Emily Pike that would create a turquoise alert system for missing Indigenous people.
www.abc15.com www.abc15.com

'We finally have hope': Arizona lawmakers pass bill creating turquoise alerts for missing Indigenous people​

Arizona lawmakers have unanimously passed a bill named for 14-year-old Emily Pike that would create an alert system for missing Indigenous people.

House Bill 2281, known as “Emily’s Law,” would direct the Arizona Department of Safety to establish a “turquoise alert” system for members of federally recognized tribes, including children and teens.

“I really do believe that it'll make a big difference in Indian Country,” Emily’s uncle, Allred Pike Jr., told ABC15.

The bill passed the House 57-0 on Wednesday and has been sent to Gov. Katie Hobbs. The measure originally passed the House in February but needed a final approval because it was amended in the Senate to include minors under the age of 18.

Steff Dosela, Emily Pike’s mother, told ABC15 in a text message that she was happy and thankful the bill had passed.

Emily, a 14-year-old San Carlos Apache girl, was reported missing from her Mesa group home in January. She was found dead on Feb. 14 off the U.S. 60 northeast of Globe. No Amber Alert was ever issued.

“It broke my heart,” said State Rep. Teresa Martinez, the bill sponsor. “And so it was important that we do a bill to prevent that from ever happening to anybody else's loved one ever again.”

The reward for information leading to an arrest in the case has doubled to $150,000 thanks to additional money from the FBI.


Native American and Alaska Native women and girls make up a significant portion of missing and murdered individuals, according to federal numbers. It’s an issue that’s not going away, Allred Pike said.

"But lawmakers are taking notice. They are addressing the issues,” he said. “We just can't let the issue die down.”
 
Well definitely a good thing that can't hurt but I don't think it would have done much in this case and it depends definitely on how it is looked at and if someone reports them missing and so on.

The problems here clearly were going on in her life before this ever happened so I am just saying there are a lot of other problems here that need to be addressed. SA allegations investigated by game and fish, or investigations dropped? I skimmed back through, I was trying to find a date on something but never did.

Sure no alert laws can ever not be good, but just saying in this case itself boy lots more going on, add in the home, add in the home life, why she was at the home in the first place, in skimming saw a remark that she was failed in every way and it seems she was. Then dad sues from his prison cell, sounds as if to me sees a financial opportunity, I mean he clearly wasn't there for his daughter was he...

I am kind of talking two different things I guess--the law is a good thing, how can it not be but I'm reflecting on whether it would have helped Emily or not. She'd already been known to run away, how quick would an alert like this if it existed be gotten out... How quickly was she reported missing...

Hopefully it will help others.
 
Nice rewards, hopefully it helps but in all the yrs. I've followed crime, I don't know if I can think of an instance where a reward helped in a case. I suspect it is because anyone with enough information to qualify for it probably either did it or has been keeping quiet, knowing who did it and either would be concerned about being charged if they did come forward, etc.
 
www.abc15.com

'Her life mattered': Reward in Emily Pike case increased to $175,000

Governor Katie Hobbs announced the additional $25,000 on Wednesday during a ceremonial bill signing for Emily’s Law, which will create a “turquoise alert” system for missing Indigenous people.
www.abc15.com www.abc15.com

'Her life mattered': Reward in Emily Pike case increased to $175,000​

The state of Arizona has added money to the reward for information leading to an arrest in the death of San Carlos Apache teen Emily Pike.

Governor Katie Hobbs announced the additional $25,000 on Wednesday during a ceremonial bill signing for Emily’s Law, which will create a “turquoise alert” system for missing Indigenous people.


“She was murdered. She was dismembered. She was tossed to the side of the road like she didn't matter,” said her uncle, Allred Pike Jr.

Emily’s mother stood next to him in tears.

“She was our daughter, our niece, our granddaughter, our cousin, our friend, and we're here to tell you that she mattered. Her life mattered,” he said.

Pike urged anyone who knows anything about his niece’s death to contact authorities.

“We still have to keep fighting,” he said. “Her killer has not been located yet. He's not been found. ... This person shouldn't be able to hurt anyone else.”
 
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