Tragic mystery as 'beautiful' teen couple are found dead in remote national forest
Pandora Kjolsrud, 18, and Evan Clark, 17, were found shot dead in the Tonto National Forest less than a week into their summer vacation on May 27.
'At this time, the circumstances surrounding their deaths are being treated as suspicious' Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Sg.t Joaquin Enriquez said, Fox 10 reported.
The sheriff's office furthered that a 'comprehensive' and 'meticulous' investigation would be conducted to 'ensure justice for the victims and their loved ones.'
Friends of the pair created a memorial near Mount Ord where they would watch the sunset together, the outlet reported.
A colleague of Clark's, Iara Rosales, told Fox 10: 'You just cherish all the memories and the laughs.
'His life was cut very short, and so was Pandora's. They were very young, and it was just so sudden and a tragedy that you wouldn't even imagine.'
Kjoslrud's mother, Simone, wrote on Facebook that her 'heart is shattered in a million pieces.'
'Rest in peace my beautiful girl,' she added.
A GoFundMe for Kjoslrud said: '[Pandora] had a vivacious personality with an infectious smile that brought joy to so many.
'She was a beautiful human being and a bright light in this world who loved every single person she met and had a unique ability to make every person feel special.'
Clark's mother, Sandra Malibu Sweeney, shared a heartbreaking tribute to her son on another GoFundMe.
'Evan Clark was my only child and my beloved son,' she wrote. 'This last week Evan was taken from me, and my level of grief feels insurmountable.'
Sweeney said she is 'at a complete loss to imagine a life without him.'
'[Evan] was funny, bright, kind and entrepreneurial. He was an old soul who was sensitive and loving. Evan wrote me letters, the last of which he gave me on Mother's Day that was so touching it made me both laugh and cry.
'He was special. He deserved a long life.'
A GoFundMe for Kjoslrud said: '[Pandora] had a vivacious personality with an infectious smile that brought joy to so many'
Kjoslrud and Clark were friends and both attended Arcadia High School in Phoenix.
The school's principal, Dr. Janelle Danskey, said in a letter to the school community: 'It is with great sadness that I share heartbreaking news that two of our students have tragically passed away.
'Naturally, this death within our community impacts many of our staff, students and families.'
The tragic murders have rocked the local community, as one told Fox 10: 'If there's something going on in the area - I'm here with a child - I'd like to know if we're safe.'
'Obviously respecting the people's families and not get into those personal details, but I would want to know how we can all be safe,' another said.
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