Four months of fear end as suspect is finally captured in the chilling case of two teens found shot dead in Arizona’s national forest.NN
A married military veteran has been busted more than four months after two teens were found gunned down in a remote section of an Arizona national forest — after his DNA was found in a blood-soaked glove.
Thomas Brown, 31, was apprehended on Thursday for the first-degree premeditated murders of Pandora Kjolsrud, 18, and Evan Clark, 17, on a camping trip in Tonto National Forest.
The teens were shot multiple times, with their bodies dragged more than a mile away to be hidden in nearby brush, new court documents shared by AZFamily show.
Brown was linked by DNA found in an SUV belonging to one of the young victims — as well as in blood-soaked gloves, his initial court hearing was told Friday, according to Fox 10.
His attorney said at the hearing, however, that the military veteran “doesn’t deny … that he had contact” with the teens.
“He was there camping. He was there hiking,” the attorney said, while denying it meant he was involved in the deaths.
The Phoenix-based suspect had earlier told cops that he left his wife to go solo and fly a drone in the area, and had “rummaged through” a tote bag and handled an air rifle he found in the area, according to the court documents.
“Despite stating he was never inside [the victims’] vehicle, Thomas Brown’s DNA evidence was recovered from inside the vehicle, directly contradicting that claim,” the court papers stated, calling it proof Brown “provided false or misleading information regarding his involvement.”
Brown spent 10 years in the military and has no prior criminal history, his attorney said. The suspect was held on a $2 million cash-only bond
He had been arrested by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, which shared footage of him being escorted from a deputy’s cruiser to be processed and placed in a holding cell.
Clark’s mother, Sandra Sweeney, said the arrest helped bring her “closure I desperately needed.”
“The past 4 months, I’ve been haunted every night by the murder of my son. I hope now that they have someone in custody, everyone can sleep safe knowing this person can’t harm anyone else,” Sweeney told 12News.
The teen victims were friends who both attended Arcadia High School in Phoenix, approximately 64 miles southwest of the national forest.
They were found with fatal gunshot wounds to the head near Mount Ordo on the morning of May 27.
Fundraisers were set up to help both teens’ families fund celebrations of life after they held private funerals.
Kjolsrud was remembered for her “vivacious personality” and smile.
“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,” Kathryn Leonard said on GoFundMe. “The outdoors is where she truly felt at home. She loved camping, horseback riding, kayaking and hiking with friends and family.”
Kjolsrud’s mother, Simone Kjolsrud, said her heart was shattered into a million pieces after learning of her daughter’s death.
“Rest in peace my beautiful girl,” the grieving mother wrote on Facebook.
Clark’s mom penned a touching tribute to her son on a separate GoFundMe.
“Evan Clark was 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,” Sweeney wrote.
Sweeney described her son as 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,” she said.
