2 high schoolers found shot to death in remote part of Arizona, officials investigating as homicides
MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. (KPHO/Gray News) – Two high school students were found dead in a remote part of Arizona last week in a case that officials are investigating as a homicide.
In the early hours of May 27, deputies with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office were called to a scene near SR 87 between Mesa and Payson.
When deputies arrived, they found two bodies in the Mount Ord area, not far from the Gila County border.
KPHO described the spot as “not easy to get to.” Reporters had to drive more than an hour away from the Phoenix valley, turn down a dirt road, then travel up a mountain.
The victims have been identified as 18-year-old Pandora Kjolsrud and 17-year-old Evan Clark.
Investigators said they both were shot and that the circumstances surrounding their deaths are “being treated as suspicious.”
While details are limited at this time, deputies are investigating the two deaths as homicides.
KPHO independently confirmed that both victims were students at Arcadia High School in east Phoenix.
Arcadia Principal Dr. Janelle Dansky sent a letter to students and their families on Thursday morning that said, in part:
“Dear Arcadia Community,
It is with great sadness that I share the heartbreaking news that two of our students have tragically ed away. Naturally, this death within our community impacts many of our staff, students and families. As details are limited, we kindly ask that you respect the privacy of the family during this difficult time.”
Sadly, this isn’t the first time students from Arcadia High School have been victims of such a crime. Back in March 1973, Kathy Koger and her boyfriend Jim Burgoyne were going on a picnic to the desert to reward themselves for doing well on their final exams. Their bodies were found in a remote area near Saguaro Lake, shot to death by Shawn Jensen, who was later convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.
For last week’s murders, GoFundMe pages have been set up for both victims’ funeral expenses.
The GoFundMe page for Kjolsrud describes her as a music and animal lover with a “vivacious personality with an infectious smile that brought joy to so many.”
The page went on:
“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. Animals adored Pandora and she had a special bond with her two little dogs, and never failed to stop and greet any dog she ed on her hikes and neighborhood walks. She was a friend to so many and a beloved daughter.”
Clark’s mother wrote on his GoFundMe page that he worked at Crumbl Cookies and loved going to concerts.
She wrote:
“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.”
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information to call their tip line at (602) 876-TIPS.
“If you have any information – no matter how small – that may be relevant to this case, we strongly encourage you to come forward,” the sheriff’s office said. “Your help could be critical in bringing answers and justice to the victims and their families.”
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