Who were Pandora Kjolsrud and Evan Clark? Arizona teens' shocking murders in remote forest shake hiking community

Hindustan Times

5 days ago

Two teens have been mysteriously found dead in a remote section of an Arizona national forest less than a week into their summer vacation. Cops are treating the shocking deaths of Pandora Kjolsrud, 18, and Evan Clark, 17, as 'suspicious,' the New York Post reported.
Kjolsrud and Clark's bodies were found in the Tonto National Forest near Mount Ord on the morning of May 27. Maricopa County Sheriff's Office officials revealed that both of them suffered from fatal gunshot wounds. 'At this time, the circumstances surrounding their deaths are being treated as suspicious,' Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Joaquin Enriquez said, according to Fox 10 Phoenix.
Meanwhile, the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office has listed both the deaths as homicides.
Kjolsrud and Clark, who attended Arcadia High School in Phoenix, were friends. Their school is located about 64 miles southwest of the national forest.
Friends of the teen created a makeshift memorial near Mount Ord, where the two of them would often go to watch the sunset. 'You just cherish all the memories and the laughs,' Clark's coworker Iara Rosales said. '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.'
Two separate GoFundMe pages have been set up for Kjolsrud and Clark. Kjolsrud's GoFundMe describes her as someone with 'an infectious smile that brought joy to so many.' It adds. '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. She loved music in all of its forms and enjoyed playing violin, cello and guitar. The outdoors is where she truly felt at home. She loved camping, horseback riding, kayaking and hiking with friends and family.'
A statement from Clark's mother, Sandra Malibu Sweeney, was shared on his GoFundMe. 'This last week Evan was taken from me, and my level of grief feels insurmountable. I find myself at a complete loss to imagine a life without him. It is a small comfort to share some things about this boy who was on his way to becoming a wonderful man,' she said.
Sweeney added, 'Evan wasn't a typical teenager. He 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.'
Sweeney described her only child as a 'popular student' who attended Rancho Solano and 'enjoyed working at Crumbl Cookies, going to concerts, photography, cars and trips to Malibu, CA.' 'He then attended Veritas Prep where he made additional strong friendships and played on the football team. Evan spent his final school year at Arcadia High School where he flourished socially,' she added.
The local hiking community is shaken by the shocking murders. The incident has raised questions on whether the remote national forest is safe.
'If there's something going on in the area. I'm here with my child. I'd like to know if we're safe,' one community member told Fox 10.
'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.