The Dismembered Body of 14-Year-Old Emily Pike Was Found in Tonto National Forest

At the intersection of Mesa Drive and McKellips Road in Mesa, Ariz., there is a chain link fence covered in flowers, per the Arizona Republic. The words "Justice for Emily" have been spelled out using red plastic cups pushed into the holes of the fence. Since March 2, 2025, people have been leaving stuffed animals, handwritten messages, and balloons nearby. Rocks have been placed at the base of the fence, one of which has the words "Forever 14" painted on it.

This is a tribute to Emily Pike, a 14-year-old Native American teenager who disappeared on Jan. 27, 2025, from the group home where she was living. Pike left on foot and when she didn't return, the group home manager reported her missing. Her body was found nearly three weeks later in the Tonto National Forest. What happened? Here's what we know.

A former roommate of Pike's spoke with CBS 5 about the hours leading up to her young girl's disappearance. Wishing to remain anonymous, the individual said, "My relationship with Emily was trying to steer her in the right direction because it’s hard being in the group home." This person, who is referred to as Chelsea to protect their identity, lived in the group home for four years. During that time, Pike stayed there twice.

According to Chelsea, despite the fact that Pike's family lived nearby on the San Carlos Apache reservation, the teenager ended up at the group home due to struggles with her mental health. There were more resources available at the group home. Although Chelsea wasn't living in the group home when Pike went missing, they still kept in touch. This is how Chelsea knew that Pike left the home on that fateful day in order to meet up with a boy she met while taking guitar lessons.

Chelsea believed that Emily used the fact that a church group was at the home, which allowed her to slip away while everyone was distracted. "She either used the back door or used the window and left," said Chelsea. It was not uncommon for kids in the home to run away. In fact, Pike had apparently done it before. Sadly, many of these kids are at risk of being victims of human trafficking, said Stuart Somershoe, a retired Phoenix Police missing persons detective.

Pike's dismembered body was found on Feb. 14, 2025, 100 miles from the group home. Here remains were hidden in a forest off U.S. 60, near Globe, Ariz. The Gila County Sheriff's Office has no idea what happened between the time Pike vanished and her body was located, but they are treating the investigation as a homicide.

Her dismembered remains were placed in several large contractor garbage bags, reported the New York Post. Pike's head and torso were in one bag while her legs were another. Police were unable to locate the teenager's arms and hands. "Why did it go that far? It’s pain that I hope no other mother goes through," cried Pike's mother, Steff Dosela. "She was just an innocent … She was a baby."

Dosela told the outlet that investigators are looking at three suspects. Their names have yet to be released.