Category Archives: Law Enforcement

Sheriff’s Deputies Recover Remains of Man Believed to be missing since 2007

Posted on by

Area where body was recovered.

SEDONA – The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and Search and Rescue Unit has recovered the remains of a man they believe was reported missing out of Sedona in 2007.

February 28, 2017 a hiker in the area of Brins Mesa north of Sedona found some human bones and a weathered shoe in a steep drainage off the mesa. The hike reported the find to the Sheriff’s Office.

March 1, 2017 Sheriff’s deputies and detectives hiked into the drainage and located the human bones, the shoe and some tattered clothing.

Detectives contacted surrounding police agencies and learned that the Sedona Police Department had taken a report in October 2007. At that time 38 year old Sedona resident Paul Ashley was reported missing by his brother. Sedona Police learned that Ashley had sent personal property to his brother with a note stating he was leaving, but did not express any other intentions. Ashley left a similar note with his landlord. Ashley was last seen riding a bicycle away from his home.

During their investigation, Sedona Police received information about a bicycle locked to a tree and possibly abandoned off the Brins Mesa Trail. The bicycle was never located and presumed to have been taken, but Sedona Police and the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office believed the bike may have been Ahsley’s. Sedona Police later learned that Ashley had purchased a handgun from a gun dealer in Flagstaff just prior to his disappearance.

The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Unit conducted a search in the area on October 25, 2007 and again on November 4, 2007 but did not locate Ashley or the bicycle. Police were never able to authenticate if the bicycle was Ashley’s. No new information was found indicating where Ashely had gone.

The Coconino County Search and Rescue Unit conducted a search in the drainage on Saturday March 11, 2017 and located more bones, clothing and a Glock handgun a short distance down the drainage from where the first bones were found. Detectives were able to verify the serial number of the handgun matched that of the one Ashley purchased shortly before his disappearance.

The remains were taken to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office for examination. The cause and manner of death are pending and positive identification of the remains are still being investigated.

26 Year Old Williams Man Arrested for Burglaries in Junipine Estates

Posted on by

WILLIAMS – Randy Matthew Kyle Herrera was arrested today in connection with at least two burglaries that occurred recently in the Junipine Estates area north of Williams, AZ. Herrera was booked into the Coconino County Detention Facility under charges of two counts of Burglary, two counts of Theft, and two counts of Trespass. He is being held on a $100,000 bond. The investigation is ongoing as detectives attempt to identify property connected to other burglaries in the area.

On March 14, 2017 a search warrant was served to search the residence of Randy Herrera. Herrera had been identified as a suspect in a recent burglaries based on ATV tracks left at the scene of one of the recent burglaries as well as property seen at his residence. During the search, items were found that were linked to at least two of the residential burglaries that have happened in the Red Lake area. Herrera made statements linking him to at least two of the burglaries.

Since early 2015, there have been over 30 residential burglaries in north of Williams, AZ. A large number of the burglaries occurred at vacant or vacation homes, but sheds and other structures also were burglarized. Items taken during the burglaries included electronics, jewelry, power tools, firearms, and mail. There also had been several reports of thefts, criminal damage, trespass, and suspicious activity in the area. The Sheriff’s Office held two recent community meetings in the greater Red Lake area to inform residents of the situation and to educate them on how to reduce the chance they may be victimized.

As a reminder to residents, there are steps you can take to help reduce your chances of becoming a victim of burglary or theft. Keep doors, windows, sheds, and vehicles locked at all times. Do not leave any valuables inside vehicles, trailers or truck beds. Work with your neighbors to keep an eye open for suspicious activity. Take photos and/or videos of valuable property, record serial numbers, engrave items that do not have serial numbers for later identification / recovery. If you are the victim, report the crime immediately. Do not touch anything. Be mindful of possible shoe or tire tracks that may provide evidence. Report suspicious activity immediately to your local law enforcement agency: Sheriff’s Office – 911 for emergencies and 1-800-338-7888, option 1 for Dispatch to for non-emergencies, or Silent Witness: 928-774-6111.

Body found below Midgley Bridge identified

Posted on by

Oak Creek Canyon – The person whose body was recovered yesterday afternoon from the creek below Midgley Bridge has been identified as a 20 year-old, male who was a student at Arizona State University (ASU). His body was located by hikers on February 28, 2107 in the creek below Midgley Bridge. Sedona Fire responded and confirmed the subject was deceased. Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue recovered the body. Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Detectives preliminarily identified the subject by information in his wallet and located his vehicle in the parking lot at Midgley Bridge.

Although the body had been located below Midgley Bridge, investigators were at first cautious about referring to the case as a suicide until further investigation could be conducted. The condition of the body did not show many of the external indicators typically associated with suicides from Midgely Bridge.

As the investigation continued, it was learned the student had been reported missing by family to ASU Police Department which contacted Northern Arizona University (NAU) Police Department on February 27, 2017. It was learned the subject had last been seen on February 26, 2017 visiting a friend at NAU. NAU PD entered him as a missing person into the National Crime Information Center database as missing and endangered based on suicidal statements that investigators learned he had made.

Investigation is still ongoing and pending results from the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Sheriff’s Office Investigating Death Below Midgley Bridge

Posted on by

OAK CREEK CANYON – Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies and Detectives are investigating the death of a young adult male whose body was recovered by our Search and Rescue Team from the canyon floor below Midgley Bridge. The investigation is still ongoing, and we are waiting for confirmation that next of kin has been contacted. We hope to be able to provide additional details tomorrow.

Sheriff’s Office Pleased to Announce First Local Attorney is Advertising Services in Detention Facility

Posted on by

Commander Figueroa showing Attorney Advertising Program to benefit inmate welfare

FLAGSTAFF – The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce that a local attorney, The Kaiser Law Group, is the first to take advantage of our program allowing purchase of ad space in our lobby and also contributing to the Inmate Welfare Fund.

In 2015 the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office developed a unique program giving attorneys the opportunity to advertise their services at the Coconino County Detention Facility. The advertising does two things. First it provides attorneys and law firms a place to inform individuals of their legal services. Second, the advertising purchase costs are put toward important programs in the Coconino County Detention Facility that enhance inmate welfare.

In 2016, in an effort to provide incentive for local attorneys to enter into this mutually beneficial service, the cost of having legal service advertisement displayed in a 14” x 11” space in our detention lobby was reduced from $5,000 to $2,500 per year. This equates to a little more than $200 per month which is far cheaper than many other forms of advertising. The cost includes printing a color poster with and the acrylic display frame with a holder for business cards.

We believe that allowing advertising in our jail lobby can help connect many people coming into the lobby with legal assistance. All moneys generated from renting an advertisement space will go to the Inmate Welfare Fund which supports important programs such as Exodus (our in-custody drug and alcohol treatment program), re-entry programs, and other services that directly benefit our inmate population.

We believe this is a win-win for participating attorneys and the inmates in the detention facility. Interested attorneys may contact Kathleen Levinson at 928-226-5074 or klevinson@coconino.az.gov for details on this program.

Several Recent Multi-Agency Winter Related Rescues in Northern Arizona

Posted on by

FLAGSTAFF – Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies and Search and Rescue Unit responded to five snow related rescues over this past weekend.

On Friday January 20, 2017 deputies responded to a female in medical distress who was stranded in the snow when the all-terrain vehicle she and her companion were driving became stuck in the snow. The female and her male friend had gone for an ATV ride off Slayton Ranch Road north east of Flagstaff when they got their UTV stuck in deep snow on a hill. The couple had a disagreement and the male walked away to get help.

The female who was pregnant and had other medical conditions began to suffer from hypothermia and experience various degrees of consciousness. Deputies aided by citizens with ATV’s attempted to reach the female victim, but were unsuccessful due to the deep snow. A deputy was able to hike to the female and began to render aid until Search and Rescue personnel and a medic from Guardian Ambulance were able to get to the victim by way of a specialized tracked UTV. The female was transported to a waiting ground ambulance and transported to Flagstaff Medical Center where she was admitted for treatment of hypothermia.

On Saturday January 21, 2017 Coconino Sheriff’s Search and Rescue responded to a subject who had become stuck in chest deep snow while snowboarding in the back county on the south side of the San Francisco Peaks. Two ski patrol personnel from the Arizona Snowbowl responded from the top of the mountain with snowshoes, while nine Search and Rescue volunteers responded from the Kachina Trail. Ski patrol made contact with the victim and were able to assist him down the mountain to the Freidlein Prairie Road to Search and Rescue’s waiting snow cat. The subject was transported back to the Snowbowl and re-united with his party.

On Sunday January 22, 2017 Coconino County Deputies and Search and Rescue began a search for two overdue snowmobilers in the Jacob Lake area. Two subjects had checked into Jacob Lake Lodge and left the area for a snowmobile trip to an unknown destination. When the subjects had not returned by late that evening, the Sheriff’s Office was contacted. Deputies contacted a flight crew from Classic Air Medical out of Page who were in Flagstaff at the time. The flight crew agreed to fly the Jacob Lake area on their trip back to their base.

The flight crew located two snowmobiles headed toward Jacob Lake on the Ryan Road. The subjects made it back to Jacob Lake prior to sunrise. They reported they snowmobiled to the north rim of the Grand Canyon, but on the return trip they encountered deep snow. Their snowmobiles became stuck in the deep snow requiring them to dig out the machines and delaying their return. Neither of them required medical attention.

On Monday January 23, 2017 the Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from a snowboarder who was in the back country and had suffered a possible broken leg. The subject left the ski area of the Arizona Snowbowl and entered the back country on the south side of the San Francisco Peaks. The subject jumped an unknown object and fractured his leg. Four ski patrollers from Arizona Snowbowl and 13 Coconino Sheriff’s Search and Rescue volunteers responded to the area.

The ski patrol descended from the top of the mountain with a toboggan while Search and Rescue responded from Freidlein Prairie Road in a snow cat. Ski patrol located the victim, provided initial treatment and prepared the subject for transport. Search and Rescue personnel hiked uphill from Freidlein Prairie to break trail for the ski patrol’s descent. The patient was safely transported by toboggan to the Search and Rescue snow cat and transported to a waiting ambulance.

Monday January 23, 2017 evening, the Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue responded to assist the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZ DPS) with a tour bus that had become stuck in mud just off the highway. Around 4:00 PM the AZ DPS received a call of a tour bus stuck just off Hwy 180 on Forest Road 417. Troopers responded to the area and found the bus driver had followed his GPS directing an alternate route to Page, AZ. The bus became stuck in the mud about four miles off the highway. The bus was fully loaded with 45 tourists from South Korea. Highway 180 was closed at the time due to drifting snow in Kendrick Park.

The rescue of the tourists was further affected by one of the series of snow storms that hit the area around 5:00 PM. The storm resulted in a quick accumulation of six to eight inches of snow in the area. DPS began shuttling the tourists to a staging area near the highway using several of their four wheel drive patrol vehicles. A citizen also assisted in shuttling the bus passengers. Coconino Sheriff’s Search and Rescue arranged for a bus and three employees from the Williams Unified School District to transport the tourists to a local motel.

Coconino Sheriff’s Office Coordinates Rescue of Sky Divers at Grand Canyon

Posted on by

GRAND CANYON – At 1:20 pm Friday January 27, 2017, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a call from the Grand Canyon National Park Airport tower to report that two parachutists became stranded in deep snow in the forest.

The two individuals, a student and a sky dive instructor from Paragon Sky Dive, made a jump from 15,000 feet. They were approximately 2 miles off their intended landing zone but were able to land in the forest south of the airport where they encountered deep snow. The ground speed wind at the time was reported at 11.25 mph and the wind chill was 18 degrees.

Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, National Park Service Rangers, and a backhoe requested by airport staff responded to the area. The backhoe became stuck in the snow and was unable to access the subjects. The Park Service launched their helicopter and located the subjects. The Park Service air crew determined they did not need any medical assistance and flew them back to the South Rim.

Sheriff’s Deputies interviewed the instructor and student. The instructor reported the two had jumped in tandem. The instructor said he had mistakenly jumped too early causing them to miss their landing zone. They walked in the snow approximately ¾ of mile before the helicopter located them. Both subjects reported they were wet and cold due to the type of clothing and footwear they had.

Winter Storms Leave People in Need of Rescue

Posted on by

ASH FORK – On January 27, 2017 at approximately 10:00 am, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch received a call from a citizen advising that he was assisting residents of the Westwood Ranch Subdivision who had become isolated due to the recent winter storms.

The citizen was attempting to bring food, water, and gas supplies using a large military type vehicle. He had become stuck in the snow and unable to proceed. He had reported that one of the individuals he was attempting to help was a female having a diabetic emergency living in an RV on Flat Tank Road.

Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Deputies and Search and Rescue personnel began response to the area to make an assessment. It was confirmed through telephone contact with the woman in medical need that she did need immediate medical attention.

Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue was requested to respond due to an extended ground response and unknown road conditions. Air Rescue landed nearby the woman’s residence and airlifted her to the Flagstaff Medical Center for treatment.

Personnel are still in the process of conducting this rescue and distributing the supplies to the location on Flat Tank Road. Coconino Sheriff’s Deputies and Search and Rescue ground personnel are responding in a matt-tracked vehicle to assist in the rescue of the original reporting party whose vehicle had become disabled.

The man and two others with him are sheltered in place in a nearby residence awaiting rescue.

Don’t let GPS, navigation apps replace common sense when you pick a route

Posted on by

PHOENIX – When a highway closes or you’re just looking for possible routes, it’s natural to consult a navigation app or GPS unit. But drivers need to apply common sense to a computer’s suggestions, starting with not taking buses and other vehicles that aren’t up to the task down unpaved roads.

Since State Route 64 closed due to heavy snow between Grand Canyon Village and Grand Canyon National Park’s east entrance, a large bus, a smaller bus and at least two passenger vehicles carrying tourists have gotten stuck on a forest road heading east from US 180 between Valle and Flagstaff toward US 89.

While tow trucks were able to free the other vehicles free and get them headed back to US 180, the Arizona Department of Public Safety, with help from an Arizona Department of Transportation snowplow, had to rescue 45 people from the tour bus as Monday’s snowstorm moved in. The driver of the bus, which was bound for Page, said his GPS unit recommended taking the forest road.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office receives many calls throughout the year from motorists who get stuck following suggested alternate routes onto unpaved roads. It’s a big concern for ADOT during the winter, when snowstorms can cause sudden and prolonged highway closures.

“Sticking to the main highways is a driver’s best bet, especially during snowstorms,” said Audra Merrick, district engineer for ADOT’s North Central District. “Our snowplow crews are out clearing these roads around the clock along with patrols from the Department of Public Safety and ADOT’s motor-assist vehicles. Don’t follow an alternate route that’s not regularly plowed during winter storms.”

Earlier this winter, a Pennsylvania family wanting to see Grand Canyon National Park’s North Rim got stranded following forest roads suggested as an alternate route to State Route 67, which closes for the winter along with park facilities. A woman suffered frostbite walking 26 miles trying to get help, while her husband eventually was able to call rescuers by climbing high enough to get a cellphone signal.

Sgt. Aaron Dick, search-and-rescue coordinator for the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, said if a suggested road becomes rough or difficult to navigate the best thing to do is turn around. Motorists also can prevent problems by understanding the settings on their GPS units or navigation apps, starting with making sure they are ranking alternate routes by “shortest time” rather than “shortest distance.”

“The shortest-distance setting will connect roads in the GPS unit’s inventory to create the shortest route without knowing the status or condition of the roads,” he said. “The shortest-time setting will generally keep the driver on paved or well-maintained roads.

Drivers heading to northern Arizona should do their research on road conditions by checking az511.gov and ADOT’s social media accounts on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) and Facebook (facebook.com/AZDOT). They also should consult ADOT’s tips for winter driving at azdot.gov/KnowSnow, including:

  • Tell someone where you are going, your intended route and your expected arrival time.
  • Bring extra clothing and gloves, make sure the gas tank is half to three-quarters full at all times, keep cellphones charged, and pack extra drinking water, snacks and all necessary medications.
  • Pack an emergency kit that includes blankets, a flashlight with extra batteries, an ice scraper, a small shovel, a container of sand or cat litter for traction and warning lights or reflectors.

Armed Robbery at Gray Mountain Thriftway

Posted on by

Gray Mountain, AZ – On January 16, 2017 at approximately 8:34 pm, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of an armed robbery that had taken place at the Gray Mountain Thriftway. Gray Mountain is located on U.S. Route 89 39 miles north-east of Flagstaff.

The suspect entered the store and approached one of the employees demanding money while brandishing a firearm. The employee complied and handed over money. A second employee in the back office witnessed the robber but did not intervene. The suspect was last seen leaving the store on foot. An Attempt to Locate was given to local law enforcement for the suspect.

The suspect is described as a Native American male, approximately 20 years old, 6 feet tall and thin build. The suspect was wearing a black hoodie pulled tight around his face, dark pants, and black and white shoes.

If anyone has information regarding this crime, please contact the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at 1-800-338-7888 or Silent Witness at 928-774-6111.