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A year has passed since Emily Pike’s tragic disappearance, and the search for justice continues with a $200,000 reward still offered for any information leading to her killer. On Sunday, family and friends gathered to honor her memory and seek closure, commemorating the day she vanished from a group home in Mesa.
In a poignant candlelight vigil held near Mesa Drive and McKellips Road, where Emily was last seen, mourners reflected on the young indigenous girl’s life. This location, now a permanent memorial, serves as a stark reminder of the unsolved mystery surrounding her death.
Kristopher Dosela, a family member, expressed the emotional weight of the occasion, saying, “This is heavy for me to come here today to know that it’s been a year and that this case is still unsolved. I do believe we need to keep saying her name so this gets resolved.”
Emily’s remains were discovered on Valentine’s Day of last year, gruesomely dismembered and discarded in trash bags along U.S. 60, northeast of Globe. Sadly, not all of her remains have been recovered, adding to the family’s anguish.
The last known sighting of Emily was on January 27, near the same Mesa location, shortly after she fled from the group home. The community remains hopeful that continued attention and determination will lead to answers and justice for Emily Pike.
So far, no arrests have been made.
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“That little girl cried and called for her mom. She cried and called for her grandma,” Pike family advocate Jared Marquez said. “That should be a call to all mothers. That should be a call to all women that this little girl needs help, and she needs justice.”
Reward for Information
Following her death, the FBI announced a reward for information leading to any culpable parties.
“The FBI is now offering a reward of up to $75,000 for any person providing independently verifiable information identifying the individual(s) responsible for her disappearance and murder,” FBI spokesperson Kevin Smith said in an email to AZ Central.
The FBI’s announcement on May 7 followed a meeting between FBI Director Kash Patel and Emily’s family, where Patel committed to raising awareness and pursuing answers in her case.
Governor Katie Hobbs announced an additional $25,000 reward in April, during a ceremonial bill signing for Emily’s Law, which will create a “turquoise alert” system for missing Indigenous people.
The San Carlos Apache Tribe is also offering a $75,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest in the case.
“Our systems have failed this young girl,” Marquez added. “And we want change. We want answers.”
Information can also be reported to the Sheriff’s Office at 928-425-4449, option 1, or the San Carlos Apache Police Department at 928-475-1700.
Check back for updates.
[Feature Photo: Emily Pike/Handout]
