ARIZONA NEWS

Body found in Tonto National Forest bonfire pile identified as missing teen

Jun 21, 2023, 2:00 PM | Updated: Jul 10, 2023, 7:20 am

File photo of a Tonto National Forest sign. A body found last week in a Tonto National Forest bonfi...

(Tonto National Forest File Photo)

(Tonto National Forest File Photo)

PHOENIX — A body found last week in a Tonto National Forest bonfire pile has been identified as a person reported missing from Tempe, authorities said Wednesday.

The death of 18-year-old Parker League was malicious and is being investigated as a homicide, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said.

MCSO was alerted to a body in a remote desert area northeast of metro Phoenix around 7 a.m. on June 12.

The body was located in the the Hackamore section of the Bulldog Canyon Off-Highway Vehicle Area, ABC15 reported.

No other details about the case were made available.

According to ABC15, League had just graduated from high school in Nebraska and was visiting friends in Tempe.

Bulldog Canyon covers 34,000 acres off State Route 88 with 20 miles of open routes and six access points.

The Hackamore entry point is about 5 miles northeast of central Apache Junction.

Motor vehicle operators must obtain a six-month permit to enter Bulldog Canyon. The access gates are locked, and the permits contain the combinations.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said Parker League was from Tempe. He was reportedly from Nebraska and visiting friends in Tempe.

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Body found in Tonto National Forest bonfire pile identified as missing teen