The bodies of two teenagers have been found in a remote US national park in Arizona, with police having confirmed that they are treating the deaths as suspicious.
As per the New York Times, the bodies of Pandora Kjolsrud, 18, and Evan Clark, 17, both from Arizona, were discovered with gunshot wounds in Tonto National Forest – around an hour-and-a-half drive from Phoenix – last Tuesday morning (May 27).
It’s reported that the pair headed off on a Memorial Day weekend camping trip in the Arizona wilderness on May 25, three days removed from completing 11th grade at Arcadia High School in Phoenix.
Relatives said they grew concerned after they had not heard from the teenagers, before their bodies were found by sheriff’s deputies on May 27.
“I decided to go to the location where my son was, drove to the top and saw nothing,” Sandra Sweeney, Evan’s mother, said in a phone interview on Monday.
It’s since been determined that the teens were shot dead on May 26, with the sheriff’s office admitting that foul play is suspected.
“At this time, the circumstances surrounding their deaths are being treated as suspicious,” the sheriff’s office said, adding that they were treating the killings as homicides.
GoFundMe pages have been set up to support the parents of Pandora and Evan, with the latter’s mom, Sandra Malibu Sweeney, expressing her gratitude for the support she has received having lost “my only child and my beloved son”.
“This last week Evan was taken from me, and my level of grief feels insurmountable. I find myself at a complete loss to imagine a life without him. It is a small comfort to share some things about this boy who was on his way to becoming a wonderful man,” part of Sandra’s statement reads on the GoFundMe page.
“Evan wasn’t a typical teenager. He was funny, bright, kind and entrepreneurial. He was an old soul who was sensitive and loving. Evan wrote me letters, the last of which he gave me on Mother’s Day that was so touching it made me both laugh and cry. He was special. He deserved a long life.”
The GoFundMe for Pandora, meanwhile, outlined how she adored animals.
“Pandora Kjolsrud was just 18 years old when her life was violently taken on May 26th, 2025. She had a vivacious personality with an infectious smile that brought joy to so many,” it reads.
“She was a beautiful human being and a bright light in this world who loved every single person she met and had a unique ability to make every person feel special.”
As per the New York Times, a spokesman for the sheriff’s office, Sgt. Joaquin Enriquez, revealed in an email on Monday that the bodies had been recovered near Mount Ord, a mountain in Tonto National Forest. Campers are said to opt for that area as there are no developed campgrounds.
Rest in peace, Pandora and Evan.
