Emily Pike // 497

Summary

Podcast Summary: Emily Pike // Episode 497

Going West: True Crime
Hosts: Daphne Woolsoncroft and Heath Merryman
Release Date: April 25, 2025

---

Introduction

In Episode 497 of Going West: True Crime, hosts Daphne Woolsoncroft and Heath Merryman delve into the harrowing case of Emily Pike, a 14-year-old girl from the San Carlos Apache community in Arizona. This episode meticulously examines the series of tragic events leading to Emily's disappearance and murder, highlighting systemic failures and the broader issues facing Indigenous communities.

---

Emily Pike’s Background

Emily Pike was born on May 16, 2010, to Steph Dossela and Jensen Pike. Raised in Peridot, a small town on the San Carlos Apache Reservation, Emily grew up in a blended family with five siblings and a large extended family. Described as a creative and kind-hearted individual, Emily had aspirations to study art and guitar, and she harbored dreams of becoming a veterinarian. Despite her gentle nature, Emily's childhood was marred by instability due to her mother's struggle with drug addiction and her father's multiple incarcerations for fleeing a police vehicle and arson.

Notable Quote:
“He had a future ahead of her, she had goals.” — Uncle Allred Pike Jr. [07:00]

---

The Assault and Aftermath

In the summer of 2023, at the age of 13, Emily was sexually assaulted by an adult relative frequently present at her mother's residence. Following the assault, emergency services were called to the hill behind Emily's home, with officers from the Department of Tribal Game and Fish responding [08:58]. This incident marked the first significant point where Emily's safety was compromised, and it revealed the systemic shortcomings in addressing such sensitive cases within the reservation.

Notable Quote:
“She was just an innocent. She was a baby. She was a very happy and kind person.” — Mother, Steph Dossela [05:10]

---

Placement in the Group Home

Due to growing concerns about her safety and declining mental health post-assault, Emily was placed in a group home in Mesa, Arizona, operated by Sacred Journey Inc. The transition from her home to multiple group facilities exacerbated her mental health struggles, leading to several escape attempts.

Notable Quote:
“One of the girls threatened to run away again, telling the officer that, 'I would rather go to jail or live with my grandma.'” — Staff Member [15:37]

---

Struggles Within the Group Home

Emily's time in the group home was fraught with challenges. She faced restrictive environments, including limited access to technology and unsanctioned activities. These restrictions, coupled with emotional and, according to some former residents, physical abuse, led Emily to attempt escape multiple times. Her desperate attempts culminated in a suicide attempt on November 8, 2023, further highlighting the inadequate support systems in place.

Notable Quote:
“She didn't know where she wanted to be, but she didn't want to be there.” — Heath Merryman [14:44]

---

Family’s Efforts to Reclaim Emily

Emily’s extended family, particularly her aunts Carolyn Pikebender and Trinny Pike, vehemently opposed her placement in the group home. They worked tirelessly to bring Emily back, successfully relocating her to Fort Collins, Colorado, for Thanksgiving. However, trauma-induced behavior and overwhelming emotions led Emily to flee again shortly after, resulting in her final disappearance.

Notable Quote:
“They are very worried about her.” — Aunt Carolyn Pikebender [17:12]

---

Disappearance and Discovery of Remains

On January 27, 2025, Emily made her fourth escape attempt from the group home, motivated by a desire to visit a boy she liked. She was last seen near Mesa Drive and McKellops Road in Mesa. Her remains were discovered on February 14, 2025, near Highway 60, dismembered and concealed in trash bags—a clear indication of foul play.

Notable Quote:
“It really just makes you think how that would have happened if that's where she went missing from, if she went missing outside of the group home and then somebody transported her remains because this is very much a murder.” — Daphne Woolsoncroft [35:22]

---

Investigation and Ongoing Developments

The investigation into Emily's murder has been complex, involving multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, Gila County Sheriff's Office, Mesa Police Department, and Apache Tribal Police. As of the episode's release, the cause of death remained undetermined, and key evidence, such as Emily's arms, had not been recovered. The San Carlos Apache Tribe has initiated an independent investigation to address previous mishandlings of sexual assault allegations and enhance protections for vulnerable individuals.

Notable Quote:
“We can't protect you. We need to protect you. We're not just housing a bunch of kids. We operate like a home.” — Elizabeth Morales, CEO of Sacred Journey [30:42]

---

Tribal Response and Legislative Advocacy

In response to Emily’s case and the broader issues of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), the San Carlos Apache Tribe has called for legislative reforms. House Bill 2281 aims to establish a Missing Indigenous Person alert system to improve communication and response coordination between federal, state, and tribal jurisdictions.

Notable Quote:
“This crime cannot remain unresolved. We will continue to do everything in our power to support the Gila County Sheriff's Office in their investigation.” — Tribal Chairman Terry Rambler [45:16]

---

Conclusion and Calls to Action

Emily Pike’s tragic story underscores the critical need for systemic changes in handling cases involving Indigenous youth. The podcast concludes with a heartfelt appeal to listeners to keep Emily’s memory alive, share her story widely, and support initiatives aimed at preventing similar tragedies in the future.

Notable Quotes:
“You'll never be forgotten. I love you. Until we meet again. Rest in peace.” — Steph Dossela, Emily’s Mother [47:10]
“We are not a cult. We are not abusing our children. We operate like a home.” — Elizabeth Morales, CEO of Sacred Journey [30:56]
“She’s just a 14-year-old that maybe wanted to see some friends, wanted to come home.” — Uncle Allred Pike Jr. [43:19]

---

Final Remarks

The episode serves as a poignant reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by Indigenous youth and the imperative to reform protective systems. Hosts Daphne and Heath emphasize the importance of community awareness and proactive engagement to ensure justice for Emily Pike and others like her.

---

Support Emily’s Case:
The San Carlos Apache Tribe is offering a $75,000 reward for information leading to Emily Pike’s killer. If you have any information, please contact the Gila County Sheriff's Office at 928-425-3231.

---

End of Summary

Transcript

[Daphne]

The missing child is Lucia Blix, 9 years old.

[Heath]

Please let her come back home safely.

[Daphne]

Thursdays, the kidnappers plundit meticulously. If money is what it takes to.

[Heath]

Get her back, we're gonna pay it. The secrets they hide. You can't talk about this. You can't write about it.

[Daphne]

Are the clues. The mother's hiding something. I know it. To find her, tell me where she is. The stolen girl. New episodes Thursdays stream on Hulu.

[Thrive Market Ad]

Worried about what ingredients are hiding in your groceries? Let us take the guesswork out. We're Thrive Market, the online grocery store with the highest quality standards in the industry. We restrict 1000 plus ingredients so you can trust that you'll only find the best high quality, organic and sustainable brands all free of the junk. With savings up to 30% off and fast carbon neutral shipping, you get top trusted groceries at your door and you can stop worrying about what your kids get their hands on. Start [e-mail] podcast for 30% off your first order and a free gift.

[Clawd Ad]

Okay, let's talk about Clawd, the if you know, you know AI assistant that's got everyone buzzing. Clawd is like having a super smart, emotionally intelligent buddy in your pocket that responds like a real person would. Claude can help with just about anything. Whether you need advice, inspiration or even someone to help craft that perfect text to your crush, Claude can switch from being your life coach to your personal stylist to your side hustle strategist all in one conversation. Head to Claude.com, that's C-L-A-U--E.com and start chatting with Claude for free.

[Teeth]

Foreign what is going on? True crime fans, I'm your host Teeth.

[Daphne]

And I'm your host, Daphne and you're.

[Teeth]

Listening to Going West.

[Daphne]

Hello everybody. Thank you so much for tuning in today. Today's story is very recent. A ton of you guys recommended it over email for very good reason. So big thank you to Jen, Shannon, Letitia. Sorry, I don't know if it's AV or avi. I feel like it's av. Thank you Jennifer, Samantha, Andy, Meg, Shelby and Jenna. So many of you.

[Teeth]

This is an all around disturbing story and Emily pike still needs and very much deserves justice. So please, please, please share this story. Today we are going to post a flyer for you guys on our socials so you can share that as well, which is especially important if you guys live in Arizona.

[Daphne]

So check that out and let's all do our part to help Emily Pike.

[Teeth]

All right guys, without further ado this is episode 497 of Going West. So let's get into it.

[News Reporter]

This morning we're giving a voice to victims like 14 year old Emily Pike. She was found murdered, her body parts in trash bags on the side of the road outside of Phoenix, Arizona. Her brutal murder is sending shockwaves through her San Carlos Apache community where she was living. Emily was living in a group home at the time that she ran away in January, and hikers discovered her remains a couple weeks later and her family is devastated.

[Daphne]

We're learning more about the case of.

[Teeth]

Emily Pike, a 14 year old girl who was murdered after going missing last month.

[Daphne]

Authorities are still searching for the suspect who dismembered the Apache teen who was.

[Teeth]

Living in a Mesa group home at the time. A Mesa officer says he spoke to an agent with the Bureau of Indian affairs who believed Emily had been located within the Gila County Indian Reservation after human remains had been discovered on Valentine's Day.

[Family Member]

And we don't know at this time.

[Teeth]

You know, who is responsible, but I do know they mess with the wrong people. We are not going to be quiet. This is not going to.

[Family Member]

We want justice and we're not going to be quiet until we get it.

[Daphne]

Emily pike was born on May 16, 2010 to parents Steph Dossela and Jensen pike, and she grew up in Peridot, which is a small town on the San Carlos Apache tribe in southeastern Arizona, directly east of Phoenix. The San Carlos Apache Tribe encompasses nearly 3,000 square miles, or about 4,800 square kilometers, and is home to about 16,000 residents. Emily, whose parents separated soon after she was born, was raised in a blended family with five siblings, many cousins, and a large extent extended family on both sides. As a child, she was creative and artistic with her mom, Steph, describing, quote, she was just an innocent. She was a baby. She was a very happy and kind person. She loved painting, she loved art. She loved to draw. Emily once told her mom, Steph, that she dreamed of studying art in college, which really seemed like a perfect choice for her because not only was she very artistic, but as a teenager, Emily had started to study guitar as well. But she also loved animals, especially her beloved cat, Millie, and had also talked about potentially becoming a veterinarian. You know, because she was so young when today's story takes place, she still had so much time ahead of her where she should have been able to explore career options openly. And Emily actually really enjoyed going to school. And her uncle, Allred Pike Jr. Remembered a motivated teenager who dreamed of the life that she would lead as an adult saying, quote, she had a future ahead of her, she had goals. Despite her gentle, very soft spoken nature and a spirit that her family described as similar to a fairy, or more specifically, like Tinkerbell. Emily's childhood was marked with instability. Though her mom was by all accounts a very supportive and loving mother, she did struggle with drug addiction during Emily's upbringing. And her father, Jensen has done multiple stints in prison, leaving Emily in the care of her mom Steph and her family. Jensen has served two sentences in the past, the first for fleeing from a police vehicle and the second for arson. So he is currently in prison again, set for release in October of this year, 2025, as his most recent charges stem from vandalism of personal property. But anyway, Emily shared a crowded home with her mom, grandma, aunts, a few siblings and the occasional house guest. And according to relatives, the indoor plumbing was unreliable and there were often holes in the walls and roof. But this kind of thing is sadly pretty common in this area as a large population of the families on the reservation live below the poverty line. Violence and disappearances disproportionately affect her indigenous community. Actually Steph's older brother. So Emily's uncle, 31 year old Hawk Dossela, is actively a missing person, having disappeared from San Carlos, which is a town just north of Peridot, also located on the San Carlos Apache Reservation. And this happened in June of 2018, so six and a half years before today's story occurs. And we did look into his disappearance to see if there was any information about it or if, you know, foul play is suspected. But there is really nothing publicly known about his disappearance. It's just this extra tragic and very confusing occurrence when you pair it with what's going to happen in today's story. Despite all of this, Emily was like any other girl in her early teenage years. She loved the color pink, was starting to experiment with makeup and adored hello Kitty. Her cousin Alyssa remembered, quote, she wanted much more for herself. But unfortunately, everything started to change for her when she was just 13 years old.

[Teeth]

In the summer of 2023, newly 13 year old Emily was sexually assaulted by an adult relative who was a frequent guest of her mother's. After this happened, emergency services were called to the hill situated behind Emily's home, with officers of the Department of Tribal Game and Fish responding to this report. When asked why Tribal Game and Fish were tasked with handling the investigation and not the police, the organization declined to respond to reporters. But it definitely feels like one of many disappointing elements to Emily's story as a whole.

[Daphne]

Yeah, this makes no sense that they would come out and not like a real police officer.

[Teeth]

Well, I know that on reservations they tend to do things differently because they. They operate separately from, like, local police forces and stuff like that. They usually have their own officers. So I'm kind of wondering if maybe that was just kind of the scenario that they were going to use their own resources here.

[Daphne]

Okay, I kind of thought that too, because I also know that on reservations, obviously, they don't have, like, the regular local police come in. It's the tribal police that would be in charge of this. But tribal game and fish specifically, like, their primary role is to, like, handle wildlife regulations, conservation, and sometimes they do land management enforcement. So it's not typical for them to respond to, like, a call about somebody being assaulted. But I will say as well, just because you brought that up, it's such a good point that if, like, for smaller reservations or rural areas or rural reservations, sometimes the resources are limited. So it definitely is possible that they were, like, the only ones that could show up to this and that it's not super outlandish.

[Teeth]

Oh, yeah, that. That totally makes sense.

[Daphne]

But it does definitely still seem like she deserved better. And I do agree with what you said as well, that it feels like this is kind of one of the first places where the ball was dropped a little bit in Emily's story.

[Teeth]

Well, we're going to talk about so many instances where Emily was just completely failed throughout this entire story. But getting back to this investigation for a little bit. Emily's grandmother, Agatha Key, remembered sadly, one of the investigators found her on the hill with no shirt. I didn't even know. I didn't know nothing about it until she went missing. After that, I found out that that happened to her. I was upset. I was pretty mad. And her extended family said that they didn't even know who reported this incident, and they kind of wondered if maybe it was Emily herself. So even though basically no one in her family was alerted of the situation when it happened, the perpetrator of her assault was arrested, but was subsequently released within just a few days. Emily's uncle Allred claims that he doesn't know why the charges weren't pursued, saying, investigation wise, I think everything was done right. It's just that I don't know for what reason the prosecutor didn't want to file charges, and Allred didn't pursue justice against Emily's attacker at the time, because, just like Agatha, he didn't even know about the assault until after Emily disappeared. Frustrated, he later asked, would she have even been sent to a group home if this individual had been charged and did some time? And he says this with frustration because this is exactly what happened and it was not good. But due to the growing concerns about her safety and the understanding decline in her mental health following the assault, Emily was removed from the reservation and placed in a group home in Mesa, Arizona, which is about two hours away from her home. And her family just kind of assumed that this happened because of her mother's ongoing battle with substance abuse. But this did not help Emily because the incident and the subsequent placement of her in the group home away from life as she knew it marked a massive decline in her mental health, especially since she didn't even stay at the same place. She was shuffled to multiple different facilities for girls which were operated by Sacred Journey Inc. And they specialize in residential care homes for at risk girls ages 67 to 18.

[Daphne]

And naturally, Emily struggled immensely under the weight of this transition. So in the LATTER Half of 2023, she was reported missing from the home three different times because she kept trying to flee this devastating situation that she was put in, like she was just failed over and over again. Now, the first attempt occurred on September 11, 2023, when 13 year old Emily and another girl left the home together. The girls were given their medication for the day, and when the staff member checked on them again to ensure that they had taken it, the girls were gone after sneaking out a window. One of the girls, though it's unclear if this was Emily or the girl who ran away with her, had a contraband cell phone which they were prohibited from possessing during their time at the home, but it had been confiscated the night prior. So they might have ran away like in protest to that. But this is such an interesting situation because there's a lot of different kind of girls with different needs staying at this home. But somebody like Emily, who was assaulted and put in this home for her own safety, or at least that's what it was supposed to be, shouldn't not have access to technology. This is 2023.

[Teeth]

Yeah, I think it's kind of bullshit that she didn't do anything wrong here. Like it was not her fault that she was assaulted and that her mom was going through substance abuse, abuse issues and she's the one that gets sent to a home and she's 13 years old. Everybody else that she knows probably has a cell phone, but she doesn't get to have one.

[Daphne]

Yeah, and this is going to be such a Reoccurring theme in this group home for her that she is treated like she is a criminal almost. Now, the girls were later found safe at nearby Fitch park, but they complained to police of the grunt work that they were forced to participate in at this home. Again, it's like she's being punished. And here is what the officer recorded in their report. They did not want to go back to the group home because they make them work by scrubbing walls, baseboards, window seals, and even getting on their hands and knees to scrub the grout on the tile, which just feels like, kinda intense. It's like beyond a chore. This is like Annie, you know?

[Teeth]

Yeah, I was gonna say that. Or like Cinderella, you know?

[Daphne]

Yeah, exactly. Well, one of the girls threatened to run away again, telling the officer that, quote, she would rather go to jail or live with her grandma. Just nine days later, Emily attempted to escape yet again, but was apprehended by an officer in a vehicle while she was walking on a sidewalk nearby. She told the officer that witnessing the disagreements between the staff members and residents made her uncomfortable. But when she was taken into the vehicle to be brought back to the home, she obliged. On Halloween of that year, Again, this is 2023, she made her third attempt, but returned of her own volition around 9pm that night. Sadly, just over a week later, these attempts to run away escalated to a suicide attempt. Because on November 8, 2023, Emily attempted to hang herself in the closet of her bedroom at the group home using her shoelaces.

[Teeth]

Man, it's just so devastating to realize just how depressed at this situation she was. Like, she did not want to be here. She. She didn't know where she wanted to be, but she didn't want to be there. And obviously, everything happening with Emily is completely horrific. So we do want to mention her extended family side here because they were extremely concerned about her declining mental health. Namely, her dad's side was attempting to take possession of her after she was forcibly put in this group home. But legalities were just kind of getting in the way here.

[Daphne]

Yeah. So this must have been really difficult for them because they care about her so much. They didn't want her to go into the group home, but it wasn't their choice, so they are very worried about her.

[Teeth]

Well, her father, Jensen's sister, and Emily's aunt, Carolyn Pikebender, later said with distaste, one thing that bothers me is people saying, where was the family? Why hasn't the family come forward? How come the family didn't take her? Carolyn Assured the public that they had been trying to do so, adding, we loved her. Less than three weeks after her suicide attempt, Carolyn arranged with the group home to retrieve her niece and brought her out from Arizona to Colorado to spend Thanksgiving with her and her family and to hopefully lay the groundwork for a more permanent living situation for Emily. Carolyn maintained she would still be here today if she was not sent to that group home. Caroline's sister. So Emily's other aunt, Trinny pike, added, we wanted to have her live with us and just give her the love and just be there for her. Carolyn agreed, saying, I just wanted her because I just couldn't imagine what it was like or what it is like to be in a group home. A lot of things crossed my mind. They had told me what had happened with the shoestring and the closet incident, and that just broke my heart. And immediately it's like, can she just come with us? Can we just take her in? Both women were advocating for custody, hoping to finally give Emily the stability that she desperately needed. When Emily arrived in Fort Collins, Colorado, home of Carolyn and her husband, they talked with her about moving in with them and have said that Emily seemed to want to move forward with this plan. But they admitted that she was displaying some trauma induced behavior that they found kinda concerning and that they were also worried about her ability to self regulate. Caroline notes that if Emily was ever told no or given any sort of negative feedback, she would immediately burst into tears and withdraw as if she had been yelled at. Which, you know, kind of sounds like this is likely a trauma response from childhood or possibly her time at the group home. But Caroline also said that she was very proud of the improvement her niece was making, remembering when she was herself, she was her normal self, where she's just kind of bubbly, she'd talk, just a typical normal teenage girl. But still, any sign of confrontation would cause her to flee. For example, the day after Thanksgiving, Emily and her family were at the mall in Colorado planning on seeing a movie, and Emily asked her aunt if they could pick up some makeup. But Caroline simply asked her to wait until after the movie. Since Emily viewed this as possible rejection, she sprinted outside into the cold and she vanished. So here's Emily's aunt and grandma just kinda like circling this mall for hours looking for her, and they're flashing a picture of Emily to all the other people that are in this mall and they cannot find her anymore, anywhere.

[Daphne]

And by the way, this is not when she disappeared. Because about two hours later, after joining forces with the Police, her family found her sitting in an indoor trampoline park nearby. Now, a police officer did try to attempt to persuade her to just leave with her family and, you know, bring the night back to normal. But Emily refused and eventually had to be lifted out of the chair that she was sitting in. She then demanded to be taken back to Peridot with her mom or even back to her group home in Mesa, Arizona, which she probably didn't truly want. It seems like she was just really upset and wanted to flee entirely, maybe thinking that that would make it better. But she really did not like that group home. And Carolyn likely felt the same way because she pleaded with Emily, remembering, quote, we tried talking to her and reminding her, you know, Emily, we're here for you. We want to do what's best for you. The cop was holding her by her arm, just trying to escort her out, and then she turns around and reaches for his gun. Emily, in her soft spoken tone, apparently told the officer and her family that she was going to kill herself and that she would see her family in hell. So, I mean, the officer really had no choice but to take her to a behavioral hospital for juveniles. And she was taken away in an ambulance and she spent an extended stay at a hospital in a suburb of Denver. Elizabeth Morales, who is the CEO of Sacred Journey, who operates three group homes in the Mesa area, came to retrieve her and the two flew back to Mesa together. Now, in retrospect, Carolyn says sadly, in my head, I had Emily as when she was 10. In my mind, I have this sweet little girl and everything before that. The 12 and 13 year old she was at the time, I didn't know who that was. Emily lived in a behavioral health facility for the next year of her life, and then she moved back into her group home in Mesa. Just a month before she disappeared.

[Teeth]

On January 27, 2025, Emily made her fourth and final escape attempt from the home. Her roommate in the group home claimed that before Emily disappeared, she was excitedly speaking about a boy that she liked who was a fellow guitar student in her lessons. But the girls are prohibited from leaving the group home on their own for unsanctioned activities. So Emily took matters into her own hands. On Monday, January 27, a church group visited this home. And in the excitement, 14 year old Emily slipped out of the house. In an interview with her roommate on the news, her roommate said what it looked like was that the church was there. And that served as a distraction of when Emily left. She left because she wanted to go out and see that boy. That she liked and she wanted to talk to him. She either used the back door or she used the window when she left as everyone was distracted. My time being there, I've seen many, many kids run away from this group home. Emily was last spotted in a pink and gray shirt walking away from the home near the intersection of Mesa Drive and McKellops Road on the northern side of Mesa. Shortly before she ran away, she requested to contact her mom on the group home's computer, but she was told that she couldn't do this. So the act of fleeing may have been in protest here, just like when they took her phone. Because at the home again the girls screen time was heavily limited and the teens were not permitted to have phones, social media or free access to the computer. Well, as time passed and Emily didn't return, a call to the police was made at 8:19pm reporting juvie AWOL. Approximately 30 minutes prior, law enforcement checked Fitch park, which again is where she was found before. And police also contacted her tribal case manager. But because she had run away before, her disappearance likely wasn't treated with any real sense of urgency. Elizabeth Morales, who again is the CEO of Sacred Journey, believes that the sensationalism surrounding her case has become overwhelming and dispels any nefarious rumors concerning her fleeing of the home by saying she just missed her family. It was that simple. Did I think she was running away because she was afraid? No. Was she gone and planning on going for good? No.

[Daphne]

And I think this is a fair assessment, you know, and it's really difficult because it feels like between the residents and Elizabeth and the rest of the team at Sacred Journey, that there's a lot of he said, she said, you know, of how the residents may feel living there versus how the staff feels. So we don't want to discount what Emily and the other girls have said about living there or other people say. But yeah, I don't personally believe that she was in such a horrible situation in the home that she was trying to flee the home. I think she did really just miss her family and I, I definitely don't think she liked it there. Of course. Who wants to live in a group home?

[Teeth]

Yeah, it's definitely not something a 13, 14 year old girl would want to do. You know, it's not, it's not like she can just go on her own volition, go see her friends, go see her mom or go on the computer. Yeah, exactly. Just normal things like that she can't do. So of course she's going to want to leave.

[Daphne]

Yeah. And I think she really just wanted that sense of normalcy. She had an amazing family. We know she missed her mom. So I think it definitely makes sense that she wants to leave. She probably wants to see her mom. And then we also know she wants to just be able to see this boy she likes.

[Teeth]

Well, in fairness here, I can't really speak too much on that group home, because we really don't know. Yeah, but they have gotten a lot of backlash because of this case and, and just other cases like it. So it's. It's really hard to say.

[Daphne]

Well, again, you know, Elizabeth just claimed that above all, Emily wanted to see her family and especially her mom. But despite having been much healthier in recent months, Elizabeth also said, quote, her biggest worry was for her mom. There was a lot of worry there. Elizabeth has also admitted that since 2022, 30 missing persons reports have been filed on behalf of 18 different girls from the home, but that all of them, except for Emily, have come home safely. She added with a hint of frustration, we're not a cult. We're not sucking the blood from children. We're not abusing our children. I've heard it all, and so have my children. It's scary. The kids already have anxiety. They have trauma. This is something out of left field. I always tell my kids, step out of these doors. We can't see you. We can't protect you, and we need to be able to protect you. We're not just housing a bunch of kids. We operate like a home. We are a home. We are a family. We try to create as much of a normal environment as possible for our kids. That's what I'm doing here. I'm raising strong women who are going to go out and do well in the world, which, again, like you're saying, Heath, we can't speak exactly on this, but I do, I do imagine that has to be at least partially true. And I. I can also imagine that it's very difficult to live in a group home, to run a group home, because no matter how nice you make it or how family oriented you make it, it's still not home in so many ways, for better or for worse. But it is worth noting that some former residents have come forward to claim emotional and family physical abuse at the hands of staff there. So, again, honestly, very hard to tell for sure what it's like to be a real resident there, unless you are one or, you know, one. But anyway, so a week passed following Emily's disappearance before her family was even notified that she went missing. And then on Valentine's Day 2025, a shocking discovery was made. The body of a young girl split between two trash bags.

[Teeth]

This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. We know that therapy is a massive step for a lot of people, but it's time to start taking our mental health as seriously as we take our physical health.

[Daphne]

And it doesn't have to be expensive. With BetterHelp online therapy, you can save on average up to 50% per session versus traditional in person therapy. With BetterHelp, you pay a flat fee for weekly sessions, saving you big on cost and on time.

[Teeth]

And your mental health is definitely worth it. And now it's within your reach. And it's convenient too. I mean, you can join a session with a click of a button, helping you fit therapy into your busy life.

[Daphne]

And that's why BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform. Therapy should feel accessible, not like a luxury. With online therapy, you get quality care at a price that makes sense. Your well being is worth it. So visit betterhelp.com goingwest to get 10% off your first month.

[Teeth]

That's BetterHelp. H-E-L-P.com goingwest do you know how long.

[Ad Speaker]

The average professional spends making slide decks every week? Five hours. That's almost an entire workday. Resizing text boxes and moving around bullet points. Well, Gamma is here to rescue you from presentation purgatory. Just drop in your notes and Gamma magically turns them into polished presentations, websites, social posts, you name it. No design or coding skills required. Start for free at Gamma app and get a month of Gamma Pro for free with promo code. Podcast.

[Daphne]

When you think about businesses with criminally good sales, you think about an in demand product, a premeditated brand and scary good marketing. But an often overlooked secret is actually a business behind the business. Making, selling and buying simple. And for millions of businesses, that business is Shopify.

[Teeth]

I mean, nobody does business better than Shopify. Home of the number one checkout on the planet. So if you're into growing your business, your commerce platform better be ready to sell wherever your customers are scrolling and strolling on the web, in your store, in their feed, and everywhere in between.

[Daphne]

So what are you waiting for? Upgrade your business and get the same checkout that many other companies use. Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at shopify.com goingwest all lowercase.

[Teeth]

Go to shopify.com goingwest to upgrade your selling today.

[Daphne]

Shopify.com goingwest.

[Family Member]

This is what you do when you have high standards and fancy. All the fancy things like a Dior saddlebag or that diamond tennis bracelet. You go to ebay, there you'll find new loves that will never disappoint. Expertly authenticated. Whether it's that vintage pearl necklace or brand new ruby earrings, a Prada crossbody bag or classic watches like that Rolex Oyster or that Cartier tank. On ebay there are no limits to your high standards. Yeah, ebay the place for new pre loved, vintage and rare fashion. Ebay Things people love.

[Ad Speaker]

Ever since switching to T Mobile, something weird has been happening. I get to cut lines.

Oh, right this way.

Who me? I can stream shows at 30,000ft and I was able to buy reserve tickets for my favorite band.

It's not just you. With T Mobile, everywhere can get VIP status. That means access to exclusive events and experiences just for being a customer. At T Mobile VIP means y o u check out the VIP treatment at.

[Heath]

T mobile.com benefits@strayer university we help students like you go from is it possible? To Anything is possible by offering access to up to 10 no cost gen ed courses so you can reach your goals affordably and fast. Visit Strayer. Edu to learn more. No cost gen EDS provided by Strayer University Affiliate Sophia. Eligibility rules apply. Connect with us for detail details. Strayer University is certified to operate in Virginia by Chev and has many campuses, including at 2121 15th Street north in Arlington, Virginia.

[Teeth]

Emily's remains were discovered on February 14, 2025, but they weren't confirmed to be connected to Emily's disappearance until later that month. Initially, they were actually thought to belong to another girl who had disappeared from the area, but when the remains were cross referenced with the DNA of the missing girl's father, they were not a match. This man then put out a Facebook post warning the parents of other missing persons that remains had been located. And then on February 26, 2025, the Gila County Sheriff's Office released a statement that read, Sheriff J. Adam Shepard would like to release the following information regarding the Facebook post that's been in circulation about the remains that were located off of Highway 60 north milepost 277 on Forest Service Road 355. On February 14, 2025, the remains of an unidentified female were found. The Gila County Sheriff's Office, in conjunction with the San Carlos Apache Tribal Police, began an investigation. Due to the circumstances, it was decided that further information needed to be investigated before any public notification. There was no indication that there was an active threat to the community. Unfortunately, the information on Facebook was intended for only law enforcement agencies. And it was leaked. Gila County Sheriff's office detectives are currently working long hours to make a positive identification and find any information and evidence. So, you know. After determining that the remains belonged to a young native American girl, Emily's mom, Steph, was contacted to provide a DNA sample for her missing 14 year old daughter, which shockingly matched that of the remains that were found alongside that road.

[Daphne]

Emily's body was found along a desolate stretch of highway about 90 miles, or about 145 kilometers from where she was staying at the group home in Mesa, near the town of Globe, Arizona, which is only about 10 minutes from the border of the San Carlos Apache reservation. So she was found quite far away from where she was last seen. And it really just makes you think how that would have happened if that's where she went missing from, if she went missing outside of the group home and then somebody transported her remains, because this is very much a murder. Discarded on the side of the road near a trailhead, she was found by two hikers who tipped off the police. Her remains were severely, severely decomposed by that time, as she had been missing for two and a half weeks. By the time she was found, and to the absolute horror of the investigators, she had been dismembered and divided into two black contractor bags, which is basically just like a big hefty trash bag. And in one of them was her head and her torso, and the other held her legs. So off the bat, like I said, they know that this was a homicide, because also on top of those details, her arms were detached from her body and have still not been found. And law enforcement has speculated that maybe while Emily was trying to fight off her attacker, she got their DNA under her fingernails, and as a precaution, he severed her arms and disposed of them separately, which is really interesting anyway, because it's not like these two bags were found in a dumpster or like at a trash yard or something, or a dump, I guess, is what I mean. These were found in a rural area, so somebody was gonna have to pick these up or investigate them. And obviously, two black trash bags in a rural area next to a trailhead are gonna garner some attention, especially as decomposition really sets in. And either animals are gonna get to it, or as grim as this is, somebody is gonna smell it.

[Teeth]

They're at a trailhead where people are about to go hiking. They're gonna see them, they're gonna wonder what's in these trash bags.

[Daphne]

It's a really weird place to leave them. Because it's not like in a lot of other cases we cover. Somebody's body is just left in the woods or left on a trail, but they're not in a bag. They're usually just amongst the brush or whatever. So it's just really interesting that the killer chose to dismember her, put her in trash bags, and then leave those in a rural area and not in a garbage can.

[Teeth]

And it speaks a lot to this killer's kind of like, criminal iq, the fact that, you know, he's making sure that he's protecting himself by removing the arms, and those haven't been found. So there's some foresight there that, hey, I'm gonna dump these here. But also I need to make sure that if my DNA did get underneath those fingernails, they're never going to find out who I am.

[Daphne]

Yeah, absolutely. Well, let's. Let's get into her cause of death here, because her head showed signs of blunt force trauma. But so far, still, three months later, a cause of death has either not been determined, or it has just not been released. And we also know that investigators have stayed very quiet on whether or not they believe she was sexually assaulted. According to locals, this area, other than being a place where people go hiking, it actually is known for a dumping ground for trash. It's also a camping site for vagrants, hikers, and travelers. So it is in some way considered a dumping ground, but obviously, again, not in an inconspicuous enough way for such bags not to be looked at sideways.

[Teeth]

Yeah, I mean, I've definitely been in some rural areas where people dump a lot of trash, like out near campgrounds and stuff like that. And if I saw a couple black bags, I'm probably not going to go look in them, you know, to see what they're, what's, what the content is.

[Daphne]

But still, you have to imagine that the killer would have imagined that somebody was going to have to dispose of them at some point.

[Teeth]

Right.

[Daphne]

The bags, like I said, as well, had not already been torn open by a wild animal.

[Teeth]

Well, since Emily had been heading in the direction of her home when she disappeared on January 27, 2025, investigators believe that it's possible that she was hitchhiking in hopes of visiting her family after fleeing the group home, and that is how she encountered her killer.

[Daphne]

I do also want to add that the group home is located, again, it's in Mesa. This is in a city. It's not in a rural location, but it is located along a busy highway. There are also a lot of Other establishments nearby, so it's not a remote area. But if she did flee the group home, go along the highway, and start hitchhiking, this is gonna make it a lot more difficult to figure out who did this.

[Teeth]

Yeah, and a lot easier for somebody to pick her up. Well, what followed her discovery was a firestorm of finger pointing that yielded no answers as to what actually happened to her, who did this, and why. And the blame shifting was also done by two sides of Emily's family, who even wound up holding separate memorials for her. Emily's mom, Steph, even took to Facebook to write that she had been receiving a stream of negativity and judgment, both from Jensen's side of the family and from strangers online. But she added, I really do care and love my baby girl so much. I just wanted her to get the help that she needed. CPS told me that she'll be safe in there. I'm changing, though. I love all of my kids. I was just going through a lot. I lost half of my family one after another. Now my baby girl, my brother Hawk, is still missing for, like, six or seven years now. Still can't find him. Instead of judging me, be very thankful that you're not going through what I'm going through. The nightmare is so hard. So please just. Just stop with all the hate and judging. Emily's community rallied around her to memorialize her short life and the legacy that she was leaving behind, which is hopefully to shed some light on the disproportionate amount of missing and murdered indigenous people, and especially girls and women. And as we said before, as well, the system failed her so many times, which is exactly why her family feels pretty confident that if she had never gone to that group home, she'd probably be okay today. Her casket was adorned with pink and purple flowers, and it was decorated with a picture of hello Kitty. Her brother and cousins acted as pallbearers, and despite his incarceration, her father, Jensen, was actually able to attend his daughter's wake. Her uncle Allred said, sadly, she's just the definition of love.

[Daphne]

Emily's mom, Steph, has publicly reported that the Gila County Sheriff's Office alerted her early on that they had three potential suspects. However, they have told other family members that there are no viable suspects at this time. No one has been ruled out of suspicion, including, of course, the man who assaulted her back in 2023, who has yet to be named publicly. And then, of course, I think we all kind of wonder who her crush was from her guitar lessons. Was it Possibly an older boy who had a car and came to pick her up. Or like you said, Heath, did somebody pick her up off the highway while she was hitchhiking? Because that would have been so easy to do.

[Teeth]

And this is probably the first thing that investigators took a look at, the fact that she was saying that, hey, I'm gonna go meet this boy. I'm sure that they have done the due diligence to find out who this boy was if they could.

[Daphne]

Yeah, I feel like it would make a lot of sense for it to be somebody random who saw an opportunity and just Emily was in the wrong place at the right time. You know, I do think that that is very, very likely. But it's so hard with how little the police have shared, understandably, because they are doing a real investigation right now. But her family really hopes to raise awareness about her case for Emily's sake, but also for the other girls that this may happen to. Allred explained, quote, worst case scenario, this happens again. Same thing happens, someone gets hurt getting sent somewhere, just ending up like my niece. And that's not something we want anybody else to go through. But between the FBI, the Gila County Sheriff's Office, who has jurisdiction over the area she was found in, the Mesa Police Department and the Apache Tribal Police, information may very much be getting lost in translation. There are a lot of hands in the piece. The tribal police blame the group home, but Allred maintains that there is blame to go around saying, everyone let that girl down. The system failed her in all aspects. Not one, not two, all of it. She's just a 14 year old that maybe wanted to see some friends, wanted to come home. If you look at what the tribe is saying, they're pointing to the group home, but they are not pointing internally to see where they failed. And that's where the frustration comes in. The San Carlos Apache Tribe said they will be relaunching their investigation into the previously bungled sexual assault allegations as well. And speaking of the abuse, Emily's grandmother Agatha said with distaste, you know, she was just a young, young girl who could do that to her. She went through a lot. That's what I think every day. You know, she went through a lot. And then after that she went to the youth home and then she got killed.

[Teeth]

On April 14, in response to the outcry over the sexual assault allegations, the tribe released a statement that said the San Carlos Apache Tribe has reaffirmed its commitment to seeking justice for Emily Pike, a 14 year old tribal member whose tragic murder has devastated the community. Pike's dismembered remains were discovered on February 14, weeks after she went missing from a Mesa group home. Her death has highlighted systemic issues surrounding the care and safety of vulnerable Native American youth. To address these issues, the Tribe has begun advocating for legislative reforms, stricter oversight of group homes, and continues to call for increases in federal funding to address massive shortfalls in public safety resources. In addition, the Tribe is now addressing serious concerns about the handling of sexual assault charges Emily pike made in 2023. Questions have arisen regarding why the alleged assailant was not prosecuted and why the Tribe's police and specialized law enforcement officers were excluded from the investigation, which was managed by game rangers lacking expertise in sensitive child sexual offense cases. These concerns have prompted the Tribe to launch an independent investigation in which it will retain expert law enforcement assistance to review the processes, policies, and procedures used in response to Emily's 2023 allegations. In addition, all contacts and interviews with Emily by law enforcement, behavioral health and group homes, and any others will be part of the review. The Tribe is conducting this internal investigation to bring clarity to Emily's case and to ensure stronger protections for vulnerable individuals in the future. At the same time, the investigation into Emily's murder continues. Tribal Chairman Terry Rambler emphasized the importance of ensuring justice for Emily, stating, this crime cannot remain unresolved. We will continue to do everything in our power to support the Gila County Sheriff's Office in their investigation.

[Daphne]

Sadly, without a cause of death or DNA, and with her arms still missing almost three months after her disappearance, developments in the case have really slowed down. But public outcry has not. Her murder has garnered worldwide attention and activists have called for nationwide protests, while smaller scale protests have popped up all over the state. Steph, her family, and other Indigenous activists are also urging the passing of House Bill 2281, which has come to be described as a Missing Indigenous Person alert system, because currently, because of their tribal governance, there is no Amber Alert system for missing Indigenous youth and no alert system at all for runaways. The bill was created by Gila River Indian Community Governor Stephen Rowe Lewis and really just hopes to streamline communication between federal, state and tribal ordinances, which I think is very much needed. Emily was laid to rest near her mother's home on her native land, which she was trying so desperately to get back to. Steph, of course, remains heartbroken at what happened to her daughter, saying, why did it go that far? It's pain that I hope no other mother goes through. You'll never be forgotten. I love you. Until we meet again. Rest in peace. And then Allred echoed this, saying, emily, her story is going to live on. All the pictures, you see her smile. It tells me she never gave up, that she still had hope. And I know it's, it's so disappointing that we don't have more to report on this case, but it's such an important one to share for obvious reasons, and it happened so recently that we really want to make sure that we do our part to keep her name in conversation so that this does not go cold. There is still time to find the person who did this. And honestly, just based on the fact that they removed her arms and body, possibly did that because of DNA, it really just makes you wonder if they've done this before, if they're gonna act again. I mean, clearly whoever could abduct a 14 year old girl and dismember her should be so far off the streets. So we really need to keep demanding justice here.

[Teeth]

Yes, and this is exactly what I was hinting to earlier about the criminal iq, the fact that this person may have done other things like this before, you know, knowing that this is something that they had to do. They had to dispose of the arms so that they couldn't be traced back to him.

[Daphne]

Well, it really makes you wonder as well, knowing that we have her, most of her remains, but then we don't have her arms. So thankfully her entire body wasn't put where her arms are because after all this time, they're still not found. So if her body wasn't found, the police would probably still think to this day that she was just a runaway when she was brutally murdered. So luckily some of her remains have been found. But I really wonder what else police have uncovered here.

[Teeth]

Missing and murdered indigenous women go missing at a disproportionately alarming rate. And it's very tragic. It's horrible. And oftentimes we don't find remains like this. Oftentimes they are just missing and no remains were ever found. So luckily we do have something here. So please make sure that you share this episode.

[Daphne]

Today, the San Carlos Apache Tribe is offering a $75,000 reward for information that leads to the identity of Emily's killer. If you have any information about the murder of Emily pike, please call the Gila County Sheriff's office at 928-42-5-3231. Thank you so much everybody for listening to this episode of Going West.

[Teeth]

Yes, thank you guys so much for listening to this episode. Let's keep Emily's name circulating in the media. Let's keep talking about it so that we can finally catch this piece of shit killer.

[Daphne]

Yeah, we are definitely going to post photos of her. We're going to do a little flyer post for her as well so that you guys can share it. I think we already mentioned that in this episode, but just to remind you. So please make sure you check that out and tell somebody about Emily's story. Whether you share this episode or you just share a photo of her or again, you just relay what we told you about her story to somebody else. Because the more people that know about what happened to her, somebody might have seen her get into a vehicle vehicle and not think it was anything suspicious and they might remember what they saw. Who knows what can happen. So thank you guys so much for tuning in. Thank you to all the people that recommended this case and let's again just do our part here.

[Teeth]

Absolutely. Keep it going guys. All right, guys. So for everybody out there in the.

[Daphne]

World, don't be a stranger.

[Ad Speaker]

Ever since switching to T Mobile, something weird has been happening. I get to cut lines.

Oh, right this way.

Who me? I can stream shows at 30,000ft and I was able to buy reserve tickets for my favorite band.

It's not just you. With Teemo At T Mobile, everyone can get VIP status. That means access to exclusive events and experiences just for being a customer. At t mobile VIP means y o u check out the VIP treatment@t mobile.com benefits.

[Heath]

At Strayer University, we help students like you go from is it possible? To anything is possible by offering access to up to 10 no cost gen Ed courses so you can reach your goals affordably and fast. Visit Strayer. Edu to learn more. No cost gen EDS provided by Strayer University Affiliate Sophia Eligibility rules apply. Connect thus for details. Strayer University is certified to operate in Virginia by CHEV and has many campuses including at 2121 15th Street north in Arlington, Virginia.