Prosecutors not seeking death penalty for suspect in Mount Ord murders

PHOENIX — Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty for a man accused of murdering two teens at an Arizona campsite last year.

Thomas Henry Brown, 31, pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder for the shooting deaths of two teens who attended Arcadia High School in Phoenix.

The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office confirmed Wednesday it was not seeking the death penalty against Brown.

“Because this case is open, we cannot comment further,” an MCAO spokesperson told KTAR News 92.3 FM in an email.

Who were the teenage victims of the Mount Ord murders?

Brown was taken into custody arrested on Oct. 2, 2025, after a five‑month investigation into the deaths of 18‑year‑old Pandora Kjolsrud and 17‑year‑old Evan Clark.

The teens left for a camping trip on May 25. When they didn’t return, Kjolsrud’s mother reported them overdue to the Gila County Sheriff’s Office around 4 p.m. the following day.

Their campsite was in northeastern Maricopa County on Mount Ord in Tonto National Forest, east of State Route 87, roughly halfway between Mesa and Payson.

During the overnight hours of May 26-27, deputies searching near the area found a vehicle belonging to one of the teens. Blood was visible on the bumper, and a bloody pillowcase was inside.

Following a nearby road, deputies discovered a campsite and drag marks leading away from it. The tracks continued past a fence, where the bodies of the two teens were ultimately found.

Brown initiated contact with detectives during the investigation, according to Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan, who told KTAR News 92.3 FM in October 2025 that investigators had “a very bad feeling” about him.

Investigators eventually identified Brown as the suspect through forensic science and DNA evidence.

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