PINAL COUNTY, Ariz. — An 18-year-old walked with his mom to a field in San Tan Valley where he allegedly attacked and killed her after an argument, according to Pinal County Sheriff's Office Lt. Ross Teeple.
A 911 call came into law enforcement around 9 a.m. Wednesday from a jogger who said they found a body in a dirt field west of Gantzel Road and south of Skyline Drive.
James Richey, who lives nearby, said he was the one who found the body when out for a run. At first, he thought it was a prank left behind by someone. Then once he walked closer, that's when he said he saw a large knife covered in blood.
"That's when it, like, instantly clicked, like, this is a crime scene," Richey said.
He called 911 and said PCSO deputies arrived within minutes.
About seven minutes later, law enforcement received a call from a man who said his mother had been kidnapped, officials said. Officers quickly learned the two scenes were related. They arrived to find the son with self-inflicted wounds and learned the mother who was allegedly kidnapped is the same woman they found in the field.
“We don’t have any evidence to show that there was an actual kidnapping," Teeple said. "It indicates they walked out together both of consent and then once out there she was attacked and then just left in the desert.”
The woman was identified as 38-year-old Mary Collier. Teeple said there was a domestic disturbance Tuesday night between the two. It appeared Collier died of blunt force injuries, Teeple said.
The son was taken to a hospital for his injuries. His condition is not known. Officials said he will be booked when he is released.
“I just don't know how someone could be so mad and angry that that their first thought is to go and just like, kill somebody, let alone your mother,” Richey said.
12News is at the scene working to get more information. The investigation is ongoing.
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What is the Valley?:
“The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest.
The Valley is made up of various major cities other than Phoenix, including:
- Mesa
- Chandler
- Scottsdale
- Tempe
- Glendale
- Surprise
- Peoria
- Gilbert
- El Mirage
- Avondale
- Litchfield Park
- Goodyear
- Buckeye
Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or “West Valley” depends on where it is in relation to Phoenix.
The cities of the Valley have a combined population of 4,845,832 people, according to the 2020 United States Census. This makes it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country right behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.
How big is Maricopa County?
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.