MOHAVE COUNTY, Ariz. — Investigators have recently identified a deceased man whose body was found in 1976 by hikers in the desert area of Mohave County.
The man's remains were located in a shallow grave about six miles east of Katherine's Landing. He had been shot in the head at close range and the Mohave County Sheriff's Office was not able to identify him.
In 2023, the case was reviewed and investigators used digital images taken of the victim's fingerprints to submit for analysis into a national fingerprint registry. This resulted in the man being identified as Luis Alonso Paredes of El Salvador.
MCSO said Paredes may have been living or working around Las Vegas at the time of his death. He may have previously served in the U.S. Navy or Coast Guard in the San Francisco Bay area.
No known relatives of the victim have been located. Anyone with information about the case can contact MCSO at 928-753-
0753 ext. 4288.
UP TO SPEED
Watch 12News+ for free
You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere thanks to the 12News+ app!
The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.
Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives.
Roku: Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for "12 News KPNX."
Amazon Fire TV: Search for "12 News KPNX" to find the free 12News+ app to add to your account, or have the 12News+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app.