Arrest made in killing of woman found dead along a hiking trail in Phoenix
CNN —
An arrest has been made in the killing of a woman found dead after an attack along a Phoenix hiking trail, police said.
A man in his 20s was arrested Thursday evening, Sgt. Melissa Soliz of the Phoenix Police Department said, without providing his name or further details.
The arrest came less than a week after Lauren Heike, 29, was found dead along a desert-area hiking trail in northeast Phoenix.
Heike was out for a hike Friday morning when she was fatally attacked from behind, Phoenix Police Homicide Lt. James Hester said at a news conference Wednesday. He declined to provide details on Heike’s injuries or her cause of death.
A photo of Lauren Heike is displayed at a news conference held by the Phoenix Police Department. Phoenix Police Department
Her body was found Saturday morning near the 6500 block of East Libby Street, police said.
Heike’s mother, who was at the news conference Wednesday, described her daughter as “beautiful inside and out.”
“She had such a kind heart, everybody who met her loved her,” Lana Heike said.
The man arrested is the same person seen running in a short surveillance clip released during the investigation, Soliz said.
NEW INFO ON HOMICIDE investigation. Police are hoping someone can help them identify the person in this short video who may have info on a homicide case from 6500 E Libby Street. Anyone with info call police or @SilentwitnessAZ
Original media advisory:https://t.co/8ITIbfihky pic.twitter.com/2vnwY840NC — Phoenix Police (@PhoenixPolice) May 3, 2023
The man in the video was described as being between 5-foot-8 and 6-feet tall. He was wearing dark clothing and a backpack.
Source: CNN
