SAN TAN VALLEY, AZ – Authorities in San Tan Valley are delving deeper into a harrowing case following the discovery of a woman’s body in a rural field. Discovered by a jogger on the morning of October 30, the victim was found in an isolated farmland area west of Gantzel Road and south of Skyline Drive, obscured by dirt piles.
Shortly after the jogger’s grim discovery, a distressed 911 call was received, according to the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office. The caller, who identified himself as the victim’s son, claimed his mother had been abducted. However, deputies had already made the somber discovery by the time the call was made.
The victim, 38-year-old Mary Collier, was reported to have suffered fatal injuries consistent with blunt force trauma inflicted by a sharp object. Investigators have identified a suspect in the case: an 18-year-old male, although his identity has not been disclosed.
The young man was located at their residence, injured with what appeared to be self-inflicted wounds also from a sharp object, and was subsequently hospitalized.
Initial reports suggested a kidnapping, but authorities have since clarified that no abduction took place. Investigations suggest a verbal altercation the previous night may have escalated into a physical attack by Wednesday morning. Collier resided with her husband, the suspect, and at least one other child in the household.
The community remains shocked by the incident, with a GoFundMe campaign launched to assist with Collier’s funeral expenses. A neighbor, who wished to remain unnamed, described the family as reclusive. The neighbor recalled spotting the suspect walking back from the field toward his home shortly after the incident, observing nothing unusual in his demeanor at the time.
The motive for the attack remains uncertain, and authorities anticipate questioning the suspect further once he is released from medical care.