Homicide Investigation Launched After Two Teens Found Dead Off Arizona State Route 87

MESA, Ariz. — The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) has initiated a homicide investigation following the discovery of two deceased teenagers, identified as 18-year-old Pandora Kjolsrud and a 17-year-old male, off State Route 87 between Mesa and Payson. The MCSO announced the investigation via a statement on X, confirming that deputies are actively working to uncover the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

According to the MCSO, deputies responded to a call reporting the bodies along the highway, a remote stretch connecting Mesa to Payson. The victims were found in an area west of State Route 87, though specific details about the location and condition of the bodies have not been released. The MCSO’s Homicide Unit, which consists of two active squads with five detectives each, supervised by a Homicide Detective Sergeant, has taken charge of the investigation.

Sheriff’s Office officials have not disclosed the cause of death or whether suspects have been identified, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation. “This is an active case, and we are pursuing all leads to determine what happened,” an MCSO spokesperson said. The department is urging anyone with information to come forward.

State Route 87, a busy highway in central Arizona, has previously been linked to investigations involving human remains. In March 2024, MCSO detectives responded to a report of skeletal remains found near mile marker 216, roughly 30 minutes south of Payson, though no connection to the current case has been established.

The deaths of Kjolsrud and the unnamed 17-year-old have raised concerns in Maricopa County, where homicides have been a persistent issue. According to data from the Phoenix Police Department’s 2020 Uniform Crime Report, the city alone recorded over 187 homicides, with Maricopa County leading the state in murder cases due to its large population of over 4.3 million.

Local authorities are encouraging the public to provide tips by contacting the MCSO at 602-876-8477 or submitting information anonymously through the sheriff’s office website. As the investigation unfolds, the community awaits answers about the tragic loss of two young lives.

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