Task force created for Emily Pike case; family hopes $75K reward will lead to information
In February 2025, Gila County Sheriff's Office found the dismembered body of San Carlos Apache teen Emily Pike. Now, a multi-agency task force hopes to catch her killer.
Emily, 14, was last seen in Mesa near her group home at Mesa Drive and McKellips Road in late January. Officials and family said that her body was found dismembered in a forested area near Globe, almost 100 miles away from where she was last seen. As of Monday, the cause and manner of death were still pending, according to the Pinal County Medical Examiner's Office, which investigates deaths in Gila County.
It is unknown why Emily left the group home and how she ended up in Globe.
"There's two things that we know — where she was last seen and where they found the body," said Allred Pike Jr., Emily's uncle.
He said the lack of answers from authorities was frustrating but urged patience, noting that "it takes a long time to fill in the blanks."
No suspects or persons of interest had been identified in her case as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the Gila County Sheriff's Office, which is the lead agency in the case. The Sheriff's Office said they have surveillance video that could be helpful but did not provide details about what the video contained and when and where it was taken.
The Sheriff's Office announced that multiple agencies joined to form a task force for Emily's case on Monday. The unnamed task force will include the Sheriff's Office, the San Carlos Apache Police Department, the Mesa Police Department, the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
The agencies were working together before the task force was announced.
The creation of the task force came shortly after the San Carlos Apache Tribe announced a $75,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in Emily's case.
"If we let this movement die down, it means the investigators and whatnot, they might not push forward or as hard in investigating trying to get the killer or killers," said Pike, hopeful that the reward will urge someone to come forward with information.
Emily Pike: It's been 1 month since Indigenous teen Emily Pike of Mesa was found dead. Here's what we know
The Gila County Sheriff's Office and the San Carlos Apache Police Department also created an online tip portal for information regarding the case. Those with information regarding Emily's case are encouraged to provide an anonymous tip at tips411.
People can also contact the Sheriff's Office at 928-425-4449, option 1, and the San Carlos Apache Police Department at 928-475-1700.
The Sheriff's Office confirmed a body was found near the same place off U.S. 60 in September 2021. The man from Whiteriver was shot in his vehicle, the agency said. Detectives listed this homicide as a cold case.
The Sheriff's Office did not believe the cases were related.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Task force created, $75K reward offered in Emily Pike case
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