Pandora Kjolsrud and Evan Clark Deaths: What We Know as Teens Found Shot
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A murder investigation is underway after two teenagers were found dead with gunshot wounds in a remote section of central Arizona forest.
The bodies of 18-year-old Pandora Kjolsrud and Evan Clark, 17, were discovered in the Tonto National Forest near Mount Ord on May 27, although the story did not hit the news until Friday when police released further details. The teenagers attended Arcadia High School in Phoenix, around 64 miles to the southwest of the forest.
The pair are thought to have died last Monday, and Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office reportedly listed both deaths as homicides. Sergeant Joaquin Enriquez, of Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO), has confirmed that police are investigating the "suspicious" deaths.
Newsweek has reached out to the sheriff's office for further information and comment.
The Tonto National Forest outside of Superior, Arizona.
The Tonto National Forest outside of Superior, Arizona.
Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images
Why It Matters
Relatives and friends of the pair have been left reeling by the grim discovery, with both families paying tribute to the teenagers as they set up separate fundraisers to help finance their funerals.
Kjolsrud was described as "a vivacious personality with an infectious smile that brought joy to so many." She was a talented musician who "enjoyed playing violin, cello and guitar," the GoFundMe page set up for her family said.
Clark was described on a separate GoFundMe site as "funny, bright, kind and entrepreneurial," by his mother Sandra Malibu Sweeney. He had several passions including "going to concerts, photography, cars and trips to Malibu, CA," she said, adding that he "was on his way to becoming a wonderful man."
What To Know
The teenagers had set off for a Memorial Day weekend camping trip, but never came home, according to local news station Fox 10 Phoenix.
Their bodies were found off State Route 87, which runs from Phoenix to Payson, north of Tonto forest, last Tuesday, with Enriquez releasing a brief statement to Fox 10 Phoenix on Friday, saying: "At this time, the circumstances surrounding their deaths are being treated as suspicious."
He did not reveal further information about the crime or the investigation, which has sparked fear among Arizona's hiking community, according to the New York Post.
Friends of the pair have now set up a memorial at a viewing spot on Camelback Mountain, where the group would often visit to watch the sunset together.
What People Are Saying
In a statement to Newsweek, the sheriff's office said: "The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is actively working this case, which involves two victims who tragically lost their lives due to gunshot wounds…
"MCSO is seeking the community's assistance. If you have any information—no matter how small—that may be relevant to this case, we strongly encourage you to come forward. Your help could be critical in bringing answers and justice to the victims and their families."
Iara Rosales, who worked with Evan Clark, 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."
What Happens Next
The fundraisers for the teenagers remain active, with both nearing their targets; a $30,000 goal for Kjolsrud's funeral expenses and $25,000 to help Clark's family. Both accounts have so far received around $22,000 in donations.
In the meantime, the investigation into the deaths continues and anyone with information is urged to call Maricopa County Sheriff's Office at 602-876-TIPS.
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