Latest / Shades of Murder / 62: MMIWG Emily Pike - San Carlos Apache Tribe, AZ

Transcript

62: MMIWG Emily Pike - San Carlos Apache Tribe, AZ · Shades of Murder

0:04
When the gruesome discovery of a young girl's remains was made
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along a trail in the forest near the San Carlos Apache
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Reservation, it would horrify and enrage her tribal community
0:16
and the entire state of Arizona. The investigation into her death
0:21
would reveal a long pattern of neglect and systemic failures.
0:27
Who was this innocent victim, and will the monster who stole
0:32
her life ever be found and brought to justice?
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Hello and welcome to Shades of Murder.
1:33
I am your host Alita Caldwell. In this podcast, I discuss cases
1:37
of murder from around the world and throughout history,
1:41
attempting to unravel the layers of darkness that help make
1:45
humans into monsters. Please be forewarned that each
1:50
episode contains specific and at times very graphic and
1:55
disturbing details of the case. This show is not intended for
1:59
all audiences and listener discretion is strongly advised.
2:03
If you enjoy the show and want to support it, please help
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2:12
Thank you for listening. On February 14th, 2025, along a
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trail of Hwy. 60 in the Tonto National Forest near Globe, AZ,
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a group of hikers came across two large construction type
2:27
trash bags. Upon closer inspection, they
2:30
found the bags to be suspicious looking and decided it was best
2:34
to contact the police. The officers were unprepared for
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the horrific, gruesome scene. Inside one of the bags was a
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girl's decapitated head and torso.
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Inside the second trash bag were her legs.
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The preliminary autopsy results indicated that the young girl
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had visible face and head trauma.
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There were no identifiable items belonging to the victim, such as
2:59
an identification card, clothing, or jewelry.
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The forensic pathologist would later declare the cause of death
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to be homicidal violence with blunt head trauma.
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However, due to the dismemberment, it was impossible
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to determine the girl's exact cause of death.
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Five days after the body was found, the Bureau of Indian
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Affairs contacted Mesa, AZ police.
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They suspected the remains of their Jane Doe were missing 14
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year old Emily Pike, a girl who had disappeared from a group
3:29
home in Mesa, AZ, over 100 miles away in the Phoenix metropolitan
3:35
area. Finding out that your daughter
3:38
had been killed would undoubtedly be the most shocking
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and unbearably painful news a parent, much less a mother, can
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never hear. It would be beyond difficult and
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traumatic enough to receive a call or see a police officer
3:59
approaching your home when your child has gone missing.
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But Emily Pike's mother didn't hear about her daughter's death
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in either case. Instead of being told
4:10
respectfully and compassionately, she discovered
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on social media there her 14 year old child had been brutally
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slaughtered and disposed of like trash on a highway and globe
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near the San Carlos Apache Reservation.
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This mother literally learned of her daughter's tragic and
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horrifying death by seeing photos of garbage bags that held
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Emily's remains. These photos were released by an
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individual or multiple people who worked for the HeLa County
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Sheriff's Department. What little integrity and poor
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moral character must this person or persons have to not consider
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how these grotesque and disturbing images would forever
5:02
impact the victim's loved ones. The police never contacted
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Emily's mother, Steph Tosella. She was the one who called them
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after viewing these horrific images online that may have
5:16
involved her missing daughter's dismember her body.
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The teenage girl had been missing for 18 days, but an
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alert had never been issued for her after she ran away from a
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group home in Mesa. Once again, the institutions had
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failed this young girl and her family.
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The investigation into her disappearance and death would
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reveal a pattern of systemic deficiencies and outright
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failures. A lack of communication and
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issues of complicated jurisdiction between the tribal
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county and state systems had led to this teenage girls untimely
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and most grisly demise. The neglect and failure to
6:00
protect this young girl had begun years earlier.
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The San Carlos Apache Tribe, the Arizona Department of Child
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Safety, the group home, Sacred Journey in Mesa, and to some
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extent her own family all played a role in the horror that
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unfolded. On May 16th, 2011, Emily Pike
6:25
was born, one of three children to mother Steph Dossella.
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She and her family lived in Peridot, Arizona, named for the
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beautiful grain mineral Peridot, which is found in the basalt
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flows near the area. Peridot is a tiny unincorporated
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community in HeLa County located on the San Carlos Apache
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Reservation. In 2010, the population was 1350
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residents. The San Carlos Apache
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Reservation was established for the San Carlos Apache Tribe on
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December 14th, 1872, one of four settlements that the US
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government had forced the Apache people to divide and relocate
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to. It was designated Camp San
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Carlos, at the junction between the Gila and San Carlos Rivers.
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Initially it was the headquarters for the Indian
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agency, but this would soon change and become a prison for
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the tribe. Two years after the
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establishment of the camp, the Department of the Interior
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launched what it called a Program of Removal.
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This imprisoned all western Apaches at San Carlos.
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By 1875, more than 4000 Apache, Mojave, Yavapai, and Chirico
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Apaches were shoved into the San Carlos camp, which consisted of
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only 40 acres. These horrific, deplorable
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living conditions would exist for many years before they were
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free to return to their homelands.
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It became known as Hells 40 Acres.
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Then in 1924, the government constructed Coolidge Dam, which
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robbed the tribe of their precious water sources, once
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again forcing them to relocate. Over the next decade, the tribe
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would become a tribal federal corporation, which granted some
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collaborative power, including over natural resources and areas
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of economic development. But still, the United States
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government extended its powers over the tribe and continue to
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reduce the size of its land six different times.
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Specifically, each time a mineral or other precious
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resource was located, they would resize the reservation so they
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could steal the desired area from the tribe.
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The San Carlos Apache are known for their pride, resilience, and
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their refusal to negotiate with the government.
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Although the tribe has since established a casino and some
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other lucrative businesses, the people's lives have not seen
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much benefit. The San Carlos Apache
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Reservation is the third largest in the state of Arizona,
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encompassing 1.8 million acres of land.
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The population is around 10,300 people, but the tribal members
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face some of the highest rates of poverty in the nation.
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The median household income is below $25,000, which equates to
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74% of the people being at or twice below the federal poverty
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line. Their unemployment rate on the
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reservation is as high as 37%. For contextual comparison, the
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national unemployment rate is approximately 4%, and the same
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applies to the state of Arizona. A lack of education exacerbates
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the problem, with almost one in four having less than a 9th
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grade education. It has also been acknowledged
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and addressed that organized crime, in particular drug
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traffickers, have taken great advantage over the vast lands
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that exist amongst the reservations, making them prime
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targets for users. The leading cause of death for
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adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 is intentional self
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harm or suicide by hanging or strangulation.
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For young adults aged 20 to 44, the leading cause of death is a
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vehicle related accidents, and for middle-aged Indigenous
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people it is alcohol related liver disease.
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Similar to many communities that struggle with poverty,
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unemployment, mental health issues and substance abuse,
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violent crime is extremely rampant.
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The crime rate on the San Carlos Apache Reservation is 10 times
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the national average. You may be curious why I am
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sharing this information with you.
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First, it is Native American Heritage Month.
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It is important to discuss with the San Carlos Apache Tribe,
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like all tribes in the United States, was forced to endure and
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the struggles and battles they continue to face thanks to the
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invasion, resettlement, and genocide induced by colonialism.
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Second, it is crucial to understand the environment and
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culture in which Emily was raised, as well as the numerous
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challenges she and her family faced.
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Emily Pike's parents have been separated for many years.
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Her father was in and out of the criminal justice system
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throughout her young life and was incarcerated for an arson
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related offence. At the time of the events that
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unfolded, her mother was unemployed and had long
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struggled with substance abuse. Along with her brother, mother,
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grandmother, aunts, and other unspecified relatives, as well
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as other possible tribal members, Emily lived in a
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rundown trailer on the reservation along a dirt path.
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The area was very uncapped with trash, broken glass, and
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overgrown shrubs. Her home was known for being
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chaotic and unreliable. There were plumbing issues, no
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electricity, and the roof was patched with tarps to prevent
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leaking. Despite all of these obstacles
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and not having an ideal living situation, Emily Pike was of
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vibrant, smart and bubbly little girl known for her beautiful,
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infectious smile. In 2023, the San Carlos Apache
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Police Department received a call from a remote part of the
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reservation. It was Emily Pike.
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She told them she had been raped.
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However, when law enforcement arrived, no one came with any
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background in handling such a sensitive crime, especially of a
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sexual nature. Instead, the tribal Fish and
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Game department showed up. No one provided Emily Pike with
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the support and resources she desperately needed after such a
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violent and traumatic event. Once it was learned that it was
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a family member who had assaulted the young girl, Emily
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was placed in the care of San Carlos Apache Social Services.
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Initially, the man was arrested but was released soon after
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without facing any charges. Some believe that members of
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Emily's family did not want to press charges, but the Bureau of
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Indian Affairs claimed there was insufficient evidence to support
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the charges. Emily was initially held at the
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Tribal Social Services group home on the reservation, but it
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lacked the resources support necessary for the young girl.
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She was soon forced to leave her family behind on the
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reservation. 12 year old Emily Pike was pulled away from her
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tribe, everything and everyone she knew and loved, and was sent
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to live in a residential group home in Mesa, which was over 100
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miles away from the San Carlos Apache Reservation.
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What may have appeared to be a step to shield the girl from
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further harm only LED her to be isolated, traumatized and re
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victimized. The trauma Emily Pike
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experienced from being assaulted, not supported by some
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of her own family members who sided with the assailant, and
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then thrown into a group home with no one she knew, wore the
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young girl down. Emily Pike began to struggle
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with depression and suicidal ideation, attempting to kill
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herself on at least one reported incident.
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Emily hated living at the group home and escaped the residence
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on multiple occasions. She missed her family deeply and
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the simple cherished things on the reservation that she no
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longer had in the city, like her grandmother's acorn soup and
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homeward tortillas. But she wasn't given a voice and
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where she lived and her family had restrictions on their
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contact with her, particularly her mother.
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Her mother understood the best she could given the assault that
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had happened and her struggle with poverty and addiction, but
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she was under the impression that her daughter was safe and
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being well cared for at the group home.
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Sacred Journey. On September 11th, 2023, Emily,
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along with another girl from the group home, disappeared after a
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staff member gave them their medication before bed, which I
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have no idea what that entailed, but the two girls ended up
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escaping from the window. A Mesa police officer located
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the girls safe at the nearby Kleiman Park.
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When asked why they ran away, the girls claimed they've been
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forced to scrub the walls, baseboards, window sill, and
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tiles on their hands and knees for hours.
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One of the girls swore to the officer that if she were taken
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back there, she would just run away again and that she would
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rather go to jail. Both girls were promptly
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returned to the group home. Sacred Journey.
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It was reported by a staff member that one of the girls had
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a cell phone that had been confiscated the night before.
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Only nine days after this incident, Emily Pike left the
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facility once again. A Mesa police officer found her
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walking in the neighborhood along the canal around 10:00
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that night. This time, Emily told him,
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though she hated how the staff argued with the girls there and
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she didn't want to return. She also said to the officer
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like, well, I would rather stay with my grandma instead.
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I want to speak to my mom. No one understands me or is
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going to help me. I'm not going to go to that
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fucking group home. I hate it there.
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After this second incident of running away from the group
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home, Sacred Journey ordered that Emily be sent to mine 24/7,
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which is a mental health facility, before she would be
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allowed to return. Then about a month later, on
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Halloween night, a staff member contacted the police saying that
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Emily had run away again, but less than three hours later, she
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returned. However, a staff member
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overheard her tell another girl that she had taken something
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that was laced with the drug, but the staff didn't see her
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condition warranting any emergency treatment, so they
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allegedly kept an eye on her throughout the night.
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On November 8th, 2023, a little before 10 AM, Emily Pike was
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discovered in a master bedroom closet with a shoestring placed
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around her neck, which was tied to the door knob.
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Emily was transferred to Oasis Behavioral Health Treatment
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Facility where she remained for over a year.
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It isn't known what kind of treatment or therapy she was
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given during her stay. She remained in the treatment
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facility until right before Thanksgiving when she was picked
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up from the hospital by her aunt and uncle.
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Together they traveled through Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah,
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meeting relatives along the way. Everything seemed normal, happy,
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and Emily was enjoying the trip. But only two days later, her
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behavior changed. There was a disagreement and
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Emily ended up running away. When an officer located her, she
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refused to leave with her aunt and uncle.
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She told them she wanted to kill herself and that she would see
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them all in hell. Emily was hospitalized and then
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sent back to Arizona where she was placed in a secure
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behavioral health facility. Emily Pike would be returned to
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the Sacred Journey group home in Mesa.
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The last time Emily Pike was seen or heard from anyone who
18:23
knew her was on January 27th, 2025.
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One of the girls of the group home informed staff members that
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they saw Emily crawl out the window.
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She was described as wearing a pink and Gray striped long
18:36
sleeve shirt. When Emily went missing from the
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group home, the most basic information given to the police
18:43
was inaccurate. First, the staff member Kathy
18:46
Montano stated that Emily was 15 years old instead of her actual
18:50
age of 14. When the police dispatcher
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inquired as to whether the child had any history of mental
18:55
illness or was a potential risk of harm to herself or others,
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the woman replied no. Emily had documented history of
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her stay at psychiatric hospitals and behavioral health
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facilities where she resided for over a year before returning to
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the group home and when asked to spell her name, she said EMILEY.
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When a police officer arrived at the group home at 8:30 on the
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night Emily Pike disappeared, the employee stated that they
19:25
had noticed the gate was open and the screen window had been
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kicked out. According to Emily's roommate,
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she claimed that she was going to meet up with a boy she had
19:34
met recently at a store. While looking at records, it was
19:37
reported that Emily Pike was taking medication for her mental
19:40
health and behavioral issues, but the exact kind or name of
19:44
medication she was on has never been specified.
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This is also very ironic considering how the staff member
19:50
who called police to inform them she had gone missing claimed
19:54
that she didn't have any mental health concerns.
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A witness last saw the 14 year old girl walking near Mesa Drive
20:01
and Mckellips Rd. A statewide missing person
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bulletin was issued 2 days after she was last seen.
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The group home, Sacred Journey reported Emily missing
20:10
immediately, and the San Carlos Apache Tribe Social Services
20:13
were informed about her disappearance the day after.
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However, the caseworker assigned to Emily didn't believe it was
20:22
an emergency, as they were aware that she had run away from the
20:26
group home on multiple occasions and had always returned safely
20:29
in the past. It would be an entire week
20:33
before the San Carlos Apache Social Services contacted
20:36
Emily's family to inform them she had vanished.
20:40
On February 2nd, 2025, the group home received a call claiming
20:45
that Emily was with her mother on the reservation, but at the
20:49
time it was left, they neglected to check it.
20:53
Four days later, a Facebook post made the same claim.
20:57
However, this was quickly dispelled once police spoke with
21:00
Emily Pike's mother. The next day, the group home
21:03
finally listened to the voicemail.
21:05
On February 11th, the police listened to the voicemail, which
21:09
again confirmed by Emily's mother to be untrue.
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Why would someone claim that she was with her mother on the
21:15
reservation multiple times? Was it the person who had
21:18
murdered her and they wanted to interfere with the investigation
21:22
by making the police and the group home believe Emily was
21:25
safe? Back there?
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The police contacted her mother toward the end of that week.
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In February, Emily Pike's mother told law enforcement that she
21:34
thought her daughter was at the group home still and she had not
21:36
seen or heard from her. Something doesn't add up about
21:40
the situation, especially considering how close the
21:43
proximity was to the reservation where Emily's remains were
21:46
found. Emily Pike's mother, Steph
21:49
Dusala, believes that she was so homesick that she likely was
21:55
trying to make her way back to the reservation.
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Did Emily hitchhike or get a ride with someone she'd possibly
22:01
met in Mesa up to the reservation?
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Was her trip met with a violent altercation with a stranger, or
22:07
did she cross paths with someone she knew, possibly even the
22:10
relative who had sexually assaulted her?
22:13
This is all pure speculation, but the factors of this case
22:18
don't make much sense. On March 18th, the Collaborative
22:23
Task Force of Law Enforcement Agencies was established.
22:27
The group included the HeLa County Sheriff's Office, the San
22:31
Carlos Apache Police Department, the Mesa Police Department, the
22:34
FBI, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
22:37
On March 24th, the San Carlos Apache Tribe urged the Arizona
22:41
Legislature to pass HB2281, which would establish the
22:47
long-awaited Missing Indigenous Person Alert System, also known
22:50
as the Turquoise Alert. Legislation was created before
22:54
Emily Pike went missing and was found murdered.
22:57
Similar to an Amber Alert issued by the Department of Public
23:00
Safety, this kind of alert is specifically for when an
23:03
Indigenous person disappears. In her memory.
23:06
It was renamed Emily's Law the following day.
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Chairperson of the Arizona Senate Health and Human Services
23:13
Committee Karine Werner call for a thorough investigation into
23:17
the DCS group home regulations. On May 14th, several different
23:23
agencies came together at the Joint Legislative Oversight
23:25
Committee to discuss with Arizona lawmakers this crisis.
23:30
In addition to the various factors, specifically the lack
23:33
of action and poor communication that led to Emily Pike's death,
23:38
the DCS, local and state law enforcement officials, leaders
23:42
of the San Carlos Apache Tribe, and Emily's family members were
23:46
all in attendance. Emily's uncle, Elrod Pike, was
23:49
in attendance at the hearing and addressed the total breakdown of
23:53
communication. He told them how the tribe, the
23:56
state, and the federal agencies had all failed.
24:00
His niece Emily's death could have been prevented if it
24:04
weren't for how these systems each let her down.
24:08
Emily Pike was neglected by the system from the day she
24:11
contacted the tribal police about being raped to when she
24:14
disappeared the last and final time.
24:18
During the hearing, Sand Color Apache Police Chief Elliot
24:21
Sneezy responded to inquires about why the Fish and Game
24:25
Department have responded to a sexual assault call that day
24:28
instead of one of his trained officers.
24:31
He stated that the police were really busy that day Emily Pike
24:34
had called, and that Fish and Game were experts and locating
24:38
people in the most desolate and remote areas on the reservation.
24:43
Although this excuse was really just that, an inexcusable error
24:47
in judgement, it couldn't be argued that the tribal police
24:51
were spread very thin. In fact, along this 1.8 million
24:56
acre reservation, there were only 22 police officers expected
25:03
to handle crime, 22 officers patrolling 1.8 million acres of
25:11
land. The Director of Tribal Social
25:14
Services would later convey to the committee that cases of
25:18
sexual assault are very challenging to prosecute when
25:21
the family members protect the accused.
25:24
According to Terry Ross, the director, when an assault occurs
25:28
within the family, its members almost always support the
25:32
perpetrator and refuse to press charges.
25:35
As a result, social services are left with very little choice but
25:40
to remove the child from the home.
25:43
When Emily Pike was sent to the group home in Mesa, no one was
25:47
ever informed as to why she was sent there.
25:50
This background was critical to her caregiver's understanding of
25:54
her mood and behavior, but the DCS failed to communicate this
26:00
pertinent information. At the time, Emily was residing
26:04
at Sacred Journey Group Home, which was a DCS license.
26:08
She was in the custody of the tribe, not the state, when the
26:12
Department of Children's Services became aware of Emily's
26:15
disappearance. Since she was in the custody of
26:18
the tribe and not them, there were no records of her family
26:23
contacts nor her friends. In fact, they didn't even have a
26:27
photo of Emily Pike. The reporting requirements under
26:31
Arizona law firm Missing Child don't apply to a child who is in
26:36
the custody of a tribe. The DCS felt that their hands
26:40
were tied due to these jurisdiction issues and nothing
26:44
was done to inform the family that she had gone missing, much
26:47
less perform a thorough search for the young girl.
26:51
But Sacred Journey Group Home was expected to contact DCS
26:55
regarding Emily Pike's disappearance even though she
26:58
was not in their custody. The previous year, Arizona had
27:02
witnessed a huge influx of runaways reported from the
27:07
Department of Children's Services Group Homes.
27:09
In response, an amended state law was signed that required
27:13
that family, friends and school be contacted within 24 hours of
27:17
a child's disappearance. The law also stipulated that the
27:20
family and tribe of the missing child must be contacted via
27:25
phone and in written communication.
27:28
However, tribal sovereignty means that state laws don't
27:32
apply to tribes because the state lacks the authority to
27:36
pass laws that dictate or control them.
27:39
At the time, the Arizona DCS had what was referred to as a
27:42
memoranda of agreement, which would comply with such laws for
27:47
four Arizona tribes, but the San Carlos Apache Tribe was not one
27:51
of them. As such, a child living on
27:54
tribal lands or who is in custody or enrolled by the tribe
27:58
has exclusive jurisdiction over what happens to the child.
28:02
This undoubtedly stems from a long history of the traumatic
28:06
and unjust forced removal of Indigenous children from their
28:10
families on reservations. Many of the speakers spoke out
28:14
against the way jurisdiction took priority over locating A
28:18
vulnerable, missing child. No matter who the child is, they
28:24
must be immediately considered missing, not a runaway, if the
28:28
speakers declare that the most innocent and most vulnerable
28:31
must be protected. These obstacles don't go away,
28:35
though, simply because officials or community members want
28:38
jurisdiction not to matter. They do this for many reasons,
28:42
primarily to give Native tribes autonomy and authority or
28:45
sovereignty on their lands. Many agencies and individuals
28:50
within them don't want to interfere with tribal
28:53
jurisdiction for significant reasons.
28:57
Group homes are expected to report a missing child
29:00
immediately, though it is an ongoing issue that teens placed
29:04
in Group homes are frequent runaways who often end up
29:08
disappearing over the weekend and just resurface the next
29:11
week. Due to this fact, some have
29:14
recommended that these requirements be amended for
29:17
teens in Group homes Who disappear directly after being
29:20
told they can't go somewhere, specifically if a staff member
29:23
knows where they may have fled. Everyone at the committee agreed
29:27
that communication is essential to prevent more children going
29:30
missing, especially those residing in Group homes.
29:34
There must be an open, honest flow of information about the
29:38
child's background and about their culture between tribal
29:42
social services and the group homes, in addition to an
29:45
agreement between the tribe and the DCS so when a child goes
29:50
missing, everyone involved has important information to help
29:56
find them. After Emily Pike's disappearance
29:59
and murder, the San Carlos Apache Tribe requested that an
30:02
investigation be made into the Sacred Journey group home.
30:06
They also want state leaders to enact stricter regulations on
30:10
these state licensed residential group homes.
30:14
Investigators would soon learn that over the past three years,
30:18
more than 30 children had disappeared from there.
30:22
According to Elizabeth Morales, the CEO and home operator of
30:26
Sacred Journey, all 30 children have been safely located.
30:30
However, there is one particular girl, a 17 year old named
30:34
Veronica Cruz, who disappeared in May 2024.
30:39
Now, according to Elizabeth Morales, the girl was located
30:43
after a year and reunited with her family, but the Mesa Police
30:47
Department never confirmed this to be true.
30:52
What does this indicate about the manner in which this
30:55
facility is being operated when this many young vulnerable girls
31:01
are running away? According to their LinkedIn
31:04
profile, Sacred Journey Incorporated is a residential
31:07
living home designed to provide 24 hour a day, 365 days a year,
31:13
supervised care for children, specifically girls ages 7 to 18
31:18
years of age. Sacred Journey Incorporated
31:20
utilizes A holistic, therapeutic approach to provide each child
31:25
with a supportive, nonjudgmental, culturally based
31:29
experience so that each child can enhance and develop life
31:33
skills for future survival once they return to their natural
31:37
environment, their mission statement says.
31:39
We believe that every child has a right to grow up in a secure,
31:43
nurturing environment where they will receive caring and
31:46
emotional support from a trusting adult who instill a
31:51
sense of hope and self pride so that each child may grow to
31:55
their fullest potential. The purpose and main goal of
31:58
Sacred Journey Incorporated is to break the cycle of
32:01
intergenerational abuse through strengthening children and their
32:05
families. The CEO of Sacred Journey
32:08
address the care of children at the facility, stating we go
32:12
above and beyond, We're raising children and not just housing
32:16
children, we were parenting children, Elizabeth Morales
32:19
said. I'm going to really take the
32:21
time and energy to make sure that child is wrapped in
32:26
services. What an absolute joke.
32:29
This is the place that was forcing little girls to scrub
32:32
their floors and walls on their hands and knees for hours at a
32:36
time. This so-called Wellness support
32:40
Center for young girls who didn't even know how to
32:44
correctly spell Emily Pike's name.
32:47
Which by the way, speaks volumes when their staff member doesn't
32:51
know how to even spell one of those common names in history
32:55
accurately. Only one day after Emily Pike's
32:59
remains were found, DCS launched its own investigation to the
33:03
group home. It found that they weren't
33:06
responsible nor could they have prevented the tragedy that
33:09
happened to Emily, according to a spokesperson for DCS.
33:13
They stated to the media at this time the department does not
33:17
believe any action taken or not taken by the group home caused
33:22
the terrible outcome in this case.
33:24
We have opened a licensing inquiry to determine whether
33:28
appropriate steps were taken by the group home during this
33:31
incident. The DCS investigation concluded
33:34
that it was in violation for failing to call the DCS hotline
33:38
to report Emily Pike missing as required by state policy.
33:43
So in response, the Department of Children's Services
33:47
instructed that they update their internal policies and
33:51
ensure all staff members are properly trained on this
33:54
procedure, regardless of what agency, whether it is state or
33:58
tribe, have placed the child at the home.
34:01
Really updating their handbook and training manual is the
34:05
extent of change requested by Arizona DCS to this very
34:09
sketchy, possibly abusive girls group home.
34:15
The real issue, though, is Arizona DCS and the tragic
34:20
murder of Emily Pike and several other young vulnerable children,
34:25
which have led lawmakers and local news stations to initiate
34:30
a deep look at the system and how can be changed.
34:34
Emily Pike is not the only murder case in recent years
34:38
involving a young vulnerable children associated with Arizona
34:43
Department of Children's Services.
34:46
In August of this year, the Arizona Department of Children's
34:50
Services was faced with a $60 million wrongful death suit
34:55
filed for the 2022 murder of 11 year old Cheske Davis, who died
35:01
from torture and starvation at the hands of his grandmother
35:05
Stephanie Davis and her boyfriend Tammis Deschornay.
35:09
This lawsuit was filed in the name of his surviving 13 year
35:13
old younger brother whose horrendous injuries, both
35:17
physical and psychological, have left him with such severe
35:22
cognitive disabilities, trauma and suffering that he will need
35:26
care for the rest of his life. Neither of these vicious
35:30
perpetrators had legal custody of Chaske, Davis or his younger
35:35
brother, and in fact, had abducted the children from their
35:39
home in Minnesota. Despite multiple reports filed
35:44
by two different schools in 2017 that said there were serious
35:48
signs that the children were being abused, DCS didn't look
35:53
into the allegations very seriously.
35:55
The first incident involved scratches on Chaske's face and a
35:59
bruise on his head. The second incident concerned
36:02
his missing school in a severely blackened eye.
36:06
The third allegation of abuse was made regarding his younger
36:10
half brother, whose head was discolored from his grandmother
36:13
allegedly picking him up and throwing him down.
36:16
The Arizona DCS investigated these three different claims of
36:19
child abuse and yet they decided there was insufficient evidence
36:24
and left the children in the care of the grandmother.
36:28
This sadistic grandmother, Stephanie Davis, would then pull
36:32
the two boys out of school to evade authorities.
36:36
In 2021, a hotel receptionist at Extended Stay America in
36:40
Scottsdale, AZ, observed the boys panhandling in the street
36:44
during the intense summer heat, wearing long sleeve shirts and
36:49
pants the two boys always had on baseball caps, their heads
36:53
lowered, and their grandmother wouldn't allow them to speak.
36:57
The woman called DCS worried about the children's welfare,
37:01
but they never returned her call.
37:04
Then in 2022, the year Chess Gay Davis was killed, there was
37:08
another report made sending possible child abuse.
37:12
This is where Chess Gay and his younger brother lived out the
37:16
last days of his life being severely tortured.
37:22
Yet DCS took no protective action.
37:26
If only they had looked closer into who their legal guardians
37:30
even were, they would have realized that these two little
37:33
kids have been abducted from their mother years ago and there
37:38
have been an arrest warrant for their grandmother since 2016.
37:43
Instead, the DCS dismissed these grievous signs of abuse and
37:48
neglect, and these young boys were subjected to the most
37:51
horrendous abuse and unspeakable torture for years, ending in the
37:56
life of the eldest child. That there was a lack of a
38:01
thorough investigation and not demands for reform of the
38:06
Arizona Department of Children's Services after this
38:09
heartbreaking and infuriating case makes no sense.
38:15
It wasn't until Emily Pike's tragic and atrocious murder that
38:19
lawmakers and community members began to demand accountability
38:23
and change. Emily's case is one of three
38:27
high profile cases that involved young girls which have finally
38:33
ignited a deep probe into the DCS.
38:38
Zariah Dodd, a pregnant 16 year old who was in custody of the
38:42
state, was murdered in a park in Phoenix in July of 2025.
38:48
She had also run away from her group home in Surprise, AZ.
38:52
The two perpetrators of her death have since been arrested.
38:56
The other child, Rebecca Baptiste, was a 10 year old girl
39:00
whose school had called DCS more than half a dozen times with
39:06
claims of the child being abused at home.
39:09
DCS never did anything about it, and once they believed they
39:15
should look into the allegations closer, the family had moved.
39:19
They had moved to a remote, isolated area in Arizona where
39:23
they were living in a yurt. The little girl was found
39:27
unresponsive and she was taken to the emergency room where she
39:31
died three days later on July 30th from severe abuse and
39:36
malnutrition. Her father and his girlfriend
39:39
have since been arrested and charged with first degree
39:43
murder. Several reforms have been
39:46
proposed to prevent future tragedies like what happened to
39:49
Emily, Rebecca and Zariah. Critical information packets
39:54
will be created for every child in a group home, including a
39:58
current photograph, their history and their family
40:01
members. As part of a class action
40:03
lawsuit five years ago against Arizona DCS, they had agreed to
40:07
stop their over reliance on placing children into group
40:10
homes. They claim that although they
40:13
have tried to find more foster homes for these kids, most of
40:16
them are older and have complicated backgrounds and
40:19
needs. After what happened to Emily
40:22
Pike, you would expect a higher degree of investment,
40:25
accountability, and due diligence on the part of DCS to
40:30
keep children safe. Unfortunately, these examples,
40:35
both before Emily Pike and afterward, show otherwise.
40:40
Despite the heightened criticism and community outrage, nothing
40:44
significant in the system appears to have changed.
40:49
Local Phoenix news station ABC15 launched DCS State of Failure to
40:54
raise awareness of this escalating problem that is
40:58
existed in the state for decades.
41:01
They intend to reveal how the system has failed to protect
41:04
countless children from neglect, abuse and violence at the hands
41:09
of their caretakers, whether it is their biological parents,
41:13
foster or a group home. It is an ongoing crisis that
41:18
must be exposed for real reform to come.
41:22
The research on the high risk of abuse and death of children and
41:26
Child Protective Services is deeply alarming.
41:30
Children in foster care, which include group homes, are 42%
41:34
more likely to die, regardless of their race or age than
41:38
children not in the system. An audit performed in 2019
41:43
revealed that states failed to report 34,800 missing foster
41:49
children to either the police or the National Center for Missing
41:53
and Exploited Children. A report released by the
41:56
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children discovered
41:59
that approximately 40% of missing foster children
42:04
disappear on average 4 times while in the custody of the
42:08
state. Several studies have shown that
42:10
between 25% to 40% of foster kids have reported being victims
42:15
of abuse or neglect while in state care.
42:19
Research conducted on older children formerly in the system
42:22
found that 27% of them were victims of sexual abuse.
42:28
Foster kids in Group homes face an even higher risk of being
42:31
sexually abused than in alternative living situations.
42:35
Some studies indicated that they were 28 times more likely to be
42:40
sexually abused. Another study done on foster
42:43
parents showed that they had committed 41% of the incidents
42:48
of sexual abuse. It should come as no surprise
42:51
that a very high number of children and adolescents in the
42:55
foster care system become the most marginalized and vulnerable
42:59
members of society. About 29% of homeless youth and
43:05
young adults have experienced living in the foster care
43:08
system. Black and Native American
43:10
children are overrepresented in the system and comprise A
43:14
disproportionate number of missing children in relation to
43:17
their percentage in the population.
43:19
There are currently 1400 children in Group homes in
43:23
Arizona. As of October 2025, more than 90
43:28
foster kids have been reported as missing runaways or abducted.
43:33
Not only was Emily Pike a vulnerable target, being a young
43:37
girl in the child welfare system, but her Native American
43:40
heritage placed her at an extremely high risk of becoming
43:44
a victim of violence. Rates of violence occur on
43:47
reservations at 10 times the rate of the national average
43:52
outside the tribal lands. Although the studies vary, some
43:57
research has indicated the indigenous girls and women are
44:00
as high as seven times more likely to be murdered than non
44:05
indigenous females. The homicide rate is on average
44:09
three times higher than that of non Hispanic white women, and
44:13
murder is the third highest cause of death for Native
44:17
American and Alaskan Native females, both between the ages
44:21
of 15 and 19 and 20 to 24. There are particular regions of
44:26
the country where indigenous girls and women are at an even
44:30
higher risk of becoming victims of murder.
44:32
Across 11 counties in the United States, indigenous females face
44:37
homicide rates that are more than 10 times the national
44:41
average. There is also a significant
44:44
disparity in the official records regarding the numbers
44:48
who have gone missing. In 2016, the National Crime
44:52
Information Center reported that 5712 Indigenous girls and women
44:57
were missing, but according to the US Department of Justice's
45:01
website, there are only 116. That is an enormous difference
45:08
that has never been formally addressed.
45:11
In 2023, there were 5800 Indigenous females reported as
45:17
missing and 74% of them were children.
45:23
On September 15th, 2025, Emily Pike's father, Jensen Pike,
45:27
filed A wrongful death lawsuit against the Sacred Journey Group
45:31
home for negligence. The seven page complaint claims
45:34
that the staff were negligent and failed to reasonably watch,
45:38
supervise, care for, and protect Emily while in their care,
45:42
blaming them for her wrongful death through their action or
45:46
inaction by staff members. One to five that were hired, who
45:49
have not been identified, were inexperienced, reckless, and
45:53
negligent. However, in their response to
45:56
the lawsuit, the Sacred Journey Group Home facility claims that
46:01
many agencies are to blame for Emily's murder, including him
46:06
and her mother. In the lawsuit, they contended
46:10
that Emily Pike's parents, Jensen Pike and Stephanie
46:14
Dosella are unfit, unresponsive, and neglectful.
46:18
Sacred Journey also laid fault on the San Carlos Apache Tribe
46:22
since they knowingly placed her in a non secure voluntary
46:26
residential home, claiming that Emily Pike left the residential
46:30
home of her own free will. This statement, if anything,
46:34
pains Sacred Journey in a negative light.
46:36
Despite their flaws as parents, which certainly helped lead to
46:40
the traumatic situations Emily Pike faced when she was sent to
46:44
the Groupon facility. It then became their
46:47
responsibility, their job to look after her and provide her
46:51
with a safe and supportive home. How can you call a girl's home
46:56
Sacred Journey and not help these girls overcome their
47:00
trauma and show them the kindness and compassion that is
47:05
needed to encourage them to be on a better, more positive path
47:10
in their lives? Emily wasn't sent to the group
47:13
home out of any wrongdoing of her own.
47:16
She did nothing to deserve being treated and handled as if she
47:21
were a bad kid, a troubled juvenile.
47:24
She was a victim, a child victim of sexual assault who was taken
47:30
away from her family, away from the reservation and tossed into
47:36
the care of a facility that clearly was not fit to take care
47:41
of her or any of these young vulnerable girls.
47:46
It has been reported that some of Emily Pike's relatives are
47:49
not supportive of Jensen Pike's lawsuit.
47:53
They believe it is outrageous and exploitative of her death
47:57
and that if there is any financial reward that should be
48:01
received, it should be placed in a charity to honor his daughter
48:06
or help locate her killer rather than benefiting him.
48:11
Who was in prison when Emily went missing and was killed?
48:15
The San Carlos Apache Tribe is committed to finding Emily
48:19
Pike's killer and has offered a $75,000 reward for information
48:24
leading to the arrest and conviction.
48:27
The investigation is currently a collaborative effort made by the
48:30
Helic County Sheriff's Office, the FBI, the San Carlos Apache
48:34
Tribal Police Department, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
48:38
Who are committed to solving Emily Pike's murder?
48:41
The HeLa County Sheriff's Office has been relatively tight lipped
48:45
about the case, stating that it remains open and active, but no
48:51
information is available to release.
48:54
A $200,000 reward has been offered by the FBI, leading to
48:58
an arrest for the murder of Emily Pike.
49:00
It can't be denied that this reward by the FBI is much larger
49:04
than most, indicating that they are fully committed to solving
49:09
her case. Why is it then that with all of
49:12
this alleged law enforcement teamwork, her death still does
49:17
not appear to be prioritized? Why is it that nine months
49:21
later, very little progress has been made on her case?
49:26
And how can anyone explain, much less condone, how only a few
49:31
weeks ago another Apache girl was found murdered and a
49:35
turquoise alert had never been issued?
49:39
When 16 year old Chalistia Tia Colele told her family she was
49:45
going to stay at a friend's house, they didn't worry when
49:48
they didn't see her for a few days.
49:50
Then a few days turned into 10 and on October 27th, her family
49:55
reported her missing to the White Mountain Apache Police.
49:59
But for some unknown and unjustifiable reason, they never
50:04
issued A turquoise alert for the young girl.
50:08
The FBI, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the tribal police
50:13
began a search for the missing child on November 3rd.
50:17
Her remains were found in the Knotts Landing area in White
50:20
River, Arizona, within a mile of her home on the reservation.
50:26
It is unknown what information they received which led to her
50:30
remains. After the discovery of the young
50:34
girl's body, which had evidence of foul play, Arizona DCS
50:39
addressed questions as to why a turquoise alert was never
50:43
issued. They stated that without a
50:45
formal request from the tribal police, they have no legal or
50:49
operational authority to activate an alert. 16 year old
50:53
Chalistia Colele had been reported missing on 2 separate
50:56
occasions in October 2024, with both having been closed after
51:01
she was located. A little less than two weeks
51:05
after her body was found, there was news of an arrest in her
51:08
murder, according to the family, and agent from the BIA or Bureau
51:13
of Indian Affairs visited them and informed them that they had
51:16
someone in custody who was a minor and not directly
51:19
associated with the family. However, the BIA released a
51:24
statement to the press which conflicted with this
51:27
information. They told the media that the
51:30
homicide investigation was open and ongoing and that no arrests
51:35
had been made. It is also interesting and
51:38
bizarre that the FBI is allegedly not directly involved
51:43
and Celestia Kolale's homicide investigation.
51:46
Now, this makes no legal or logical sense because the FBI
51:50
has shared jurisdiction in all cases of homicide that occur on
51:55
federally recognized land. Under the federal law, they have
51:59
primary jurisdiction over any Major Crimes and would work
52:03
alongside the White River Mountain Apache Tribal police
52:06
and the BIA. The claim being made by some
52:09
sources that the FBI is not working on Celestia Cololi's
52:13
case appears to be incorrect information.
52:17
However, if this is true, it only adds to the baffling
52:20
questions and mystery surrounding her disappearance,
52:23
death, and a subsequent investigation.
52:27
And yet, there are no suspects or any leads in the brutal
52:30
murder of Emily Pike. Keeping the case active in the
52:34
community talking about Emily is the top priority for Emily's
52:39
aunt, Carolyn Pike Bender and her uncle, Elrin Park Junior.
52:43
Emily's aunt and uncle adored her, and they miss her deeply.
52:48
Her aunt Carolyn Bender confessed to how she cries
52:51
herself to sleep some nights because she is so haunted.
52:55
Why? What happened to her young
52:57
niece? Her uncle Elrod Pike has
52:59
expressed the impact the entire tribe has felt after Emily's
53:04
death. And I quote, everybody feels the
53:09
pain. What happened to her?
53:12
We just don't want her to be another statistic.
53:16
Emily Pike's family does their best to hold on to hope and have
53:20
patience waiting for answers. But nine months after Emily's
53:25
tragic death, there are few. No suspects have been identified
53:33
and although it is known that search warrants were served on
53:36
the group home and other possible locations of interest,
53:40
law enforcement hasn't shared any information with Emily
53:44
Pike's family. As I have mentioned in previous
53:48
episodes, I prefer to cover solved cases because I like to
53:53
delve deeply into all aspects. When you don't know the legal
53:58
outcome, much less even a suspect in a crime, this can be
54:04
difficult, if not impossible to do.
54:08
But there are cases where I feel compelled to use my boys to
54:14
spread awareness and help increase interest and solving
54:19
them. Each case I cover matters to me.
54:23
But there are some cases where I think, what if?
54:27
What if, just maybe by sharing this unsolved homicide, it could
54:33
trigger someone, somewhere to come forward with what they
54:39
know. This is especially true for
54:42
cases of marginalized victims who don't receive the same
54:46
national media coverage as other victims do.
54:51
I decided it was time to cover Emily Pike's case.
54:58
While doing research, I then read the news that this other
55:02
young Apache girl, 6 year old Chalistia Cololae, had been
55:06
found deceased under suspicious circumstances.
55:10
Her body had been discovered and the autopsy has determined she
55:14
has been a victim of homicide. Emily's Law, also known as the
55:19
Turquoise Alert, has since been passed in honour and memory of
55:23
her to help prevent this kind of violence from happening to
55:29
another innocent Indigenous person.
55:34
And yet somehow it was never issued when Chalestia Colele
55:39
disappeared. Once again, the system and these
55:43
so-called preventative measures put in place have failed these
55:50
children and their families. I was hoping that after nine
55:56
months following the horrific discovery of Emily Pike's
56:00
remains and the bizarre and disturbing circumstances that
56:05
surrounded her disappearance and death, that some kind of justice
56:10
would have been found, or at least some answers.
56:13
Unfortunately, there hasn't been much progress made in this
56:17
investigation. Someone, either at the Sacred
56:22
Journey group home or on the reservation, possibly both,
56:26
knows something, but no one is talking.
56:29
Emily can't be just another missing and murdered Indigenous
56:34
girl like her uncle said, she can't be another statistic.
56:42
Emily Pike's family is still waiting for the truth to service
56:46
and for justice to arrive one day.
56:50
If anyone has information that can help solve Emily Pike's
56:54
murder, you can submit information or tip in several
56:57
ways. If you wish to remain anonymous,
57:01
you can contact Silent Witness at 480 Witness.
57:06
You can also contact the FB is toll free tip line at 1800.
57:11
Call FBI. You can contact your local FBI
57:15
office, the nearest American embassy or consulate, or submit
57:19
online tips at tips.fbi.gov. Thank you so much for listening
57:26
to the absolutely tragic, heartbreaking and infuriating
57:31
case of Emily Pike. May she rest in peace and
57:36
justice be granted to her one day.
57:41
For those of you who aren't already aware, I alone am Shades
57:44
of Murder and it's a true labor of love.
57:49
I know there are countless true crime podcasts out there and
57:53
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watch out for Shades of Murder happening in the streets next
59:46
door, especially inside your own home.
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Shades of Murder is created, researched, written and edited
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by Elita Caldwell. Original music Stranger composed
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by Stereo Code.