The Glendale Police Department is seeking assistance from the community to identify the remains of a teenage boy discovered on June 8. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, the remains were found by a landscaping crew in the side yard of a home near 53rd Avenue and Cactus Road. Police described the deceased as a juvenile male, between the ages of 15 to 16 years old with brown hair & approximately 6’ tall. Furthermore, he had a dental bridge and a distinctive set of tattoos that read blessed on his forearm, with a mirror image on the underside.
The case remains a puzzle for the Glendale PD, with few leads on the teen's identity, and the residents of the home unaware of the remains in their yard. Jose Santiago of the Glendale Police Department described the body as "pretty badly decomposed," but noted that the unique tattoos might help narrow down their search. A local tattoo artist, Jason Ballard, suggested that the mirror image tattoo is a particularly unique feature since "That definitely would narrow it down because I’ve never done that," he told FOX 10 Phoenix.
Meanwhile, a report by ABC15 added that the teen appeared to have had a metal lingual bar on his teeth, which could be another clue to his identity. Neighbors reported an odor before the discovery, with one neighbor, Brian Cartnell, commenting, "There had been a few times, if the wind was right … It was a smell I never had smelled so it was hard to place it."
As the investigation continues, authorities have not yet determined the cause of death – whether it was an accident, suicide, or homicide. "We are unsure of manner of death, whether it was self-inflicted or inflicted by somebody else," Santiago conveyed to FOX 10 Phoenix. Glendale police are urging anyone with information to contact them at 623-930-3000.
