Update: Emily Pike

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2:15Today I'm discussing updates in the murder of 14-year-old Emily Pike. I first covered Emily's case a few months ago when it was brand new. And as promised, I'm back to discuss what we've learned since that episode came out. and where her case stands today. If you are brand new to Emily's case, it's nothing short of horrific, but so incredibly important to talk about. I first learned about Emily's case after law enforcement leaked an internal memo on social media outlining the graphic details of how her remains were found. While that information was never meant for public consumption, it's opened the floodgates, and people are demanding justice for Emily.

2:57People were and still are outraged. And after months of investigation, her case remains unsolved. But a lot has happened since I put out that first episode, and we know a lot more about the events leading up to Emily's death and the reform that it's sparking. This is the case of Emily Pike. On February 14, 2025, hikers were walking down a trail in a remote wooded area just east of Globe, Arizona, when they stumbled upon some trash bags. At least one of the bags was left open, and after taking a closer look, they believed that there may have been a body in one of them. So they called the sheriff's office to report it.

3:43When the Healy County Sheriff's Office responded, they discovered the remains of Emily Pike, but they don't know that at this point due to the horrific state she was found in. Again, I'll warn you that this next part is very disturbing and graphic. Emily's head and torso were found in one bag and her legs in another. As of recording this episode, her arms and hands have not been located. There was also trauma to her face. It was clearly a horrific homicide. This information was compiled into an internal memo by the Gila County Sheriff's Office. It explained that they found an unidentified woman, likely in her early 20s, and it described the state she was found in, along with some images.

4:28Somehow, this memo that was never meant for public consumption was posted on their Facebook page, and that's how the world was introduced to Emily's case. But let's go back to the beginning. Emily was born on May 16, 2010, and was a member of the San Carlos Apache tribe in Arizona. She also lived on the San Carlos Apache Reservation for much of her life. It's beautiful and spans nearly 2 million acres in southeastern Arizona. But unfortunately, Emily's home life was not the best. We now know that both of Emily's parents, Steph Dosella and Jensen Pike, have suffered from substance use disorder for many years.

5:07Her father specifically has been in and out of prison and is currently serving time in Eloy for arson and criminal damage charges. Her parents have been separated for a long time, but her mother retained custody of her. She shared a home with her mother, brother, grandmother, aunts, and others. Relatives have reported that the home had spotty plumbing. There were holes in the roof, and it was often crowded and chaotic, with trash piles that nearly reached the top of your head. Still, Emily has been described as confronting challenges in her life with a smile. Those who knew her describe her as soft-spoken, creative, say that she got good grades, and was enjoying learning how to play guitar.

5:48Her favorite color was pink, but she loved anything colorful. They also likened her to Tinkerbell, saying she added sparkle to everything she touched. Her cousin Alyssa said that Emily wanted a lot more for herself than the life she was currently living. But in 2023, when Emily was 13, she was removed from her home and put into foster care. When I first told you about Emily's case, we had no insight as to why this happened. There was a lot of speculation, but no official reports. Now we know a lot more. And much of this information came out just days before this episode airs. It is hard to hear, but it's important.

6:26So let's dig in. When Emily was 12, she reported that she'd been sexually assaulted in the White River area in early 2023 on the Fort Apache Reservation. This has been confirmed by both law enforcement and members of her family. Since Emily was 12, the FBI had jurisdiction over the case instead of the Bureau of Indian Affairs or the BIA. The BIA did confirm that the FBI investigated the case, but the man was not charged with a crime in relation to Emily's report. He was, however, indicted on counts of sexual abuse, abusive sexual contact, and sexual abuse of a minor in 2024. One of his victims was between 12 and 16 years old.

7:09He's currently in custody awaiting trial, which is scheduled to begin in July 2025. Emily made a second report of being sexually assaulted in July 2023 on the San Carlos Apache Reservation. An emergency call was made and Emily was found on a hill behind her house without a shirt on. She told authorities that she was assaulted by a relative. Emily turned 13 in May, just a few months before this report was made, so it did fall under the jurisdiction of the BIA. These allegations were first looked into by Tribal Game and Fish. They also, for some reason, spearheaded the investigation instead of the San Carlos Apache Police Department.

7:51However, the case was eventually referred to the BIA, and the man accused was arrested. But within just a few days of Emily making the report, he was released, and they were ready to close the case, citing a lack of evidence. Emily's mother was with her while she interviewed about the assault and she feels like the agent conducting the interview didn't like her family or was tired of hearing about them. But Special Agent Jose Verdugo said that Emily couldn't answer questions about the attack and that they were ultimately unable to independently verify some details she provided. In a July 19th, 2023 incident report, the agent wrote, quote,

8:42Special Agent Verdugo says that he did speak with the U.S. Attorney's Office about the case, and, quote, concluded the case would not be suitable for federal prosecution, end quote. The San Carlos Apache Attorney General, Alexander Ritchie, outright blames the U.S. Attorney's office for refusing to prosecute the case. But a U.S. attorney spokesperson denies this. They told the Arizona Republic that they had no record of getting any paperwork or phone calls from any agency in relation to Emily's sexual assault, even after they made the arrest and when the man was released. So this is another case where we have these agencies pointing fingers at each other, and Emily's loved ones are understandably not satisfied with these answers.

9:25They say it highlights the systemic failures within what are supposed to be tribal social safety nets. Emily's family wants to know why charges have never been filed. Her uncle, Allred Pike, just wants to know if there was some type of breakdown here, why. He told the Arizona Republic, quote, everyone let that girl down. The system failed her in all aspects, end quote. Since this news broke, tribal leaders have promised to conduct an independent review of the case to determine why this man wasn't charged, and why the tribe's, quote, specialized law enforcement officers were excluded from the investigation, end quote.

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11:49more than 140 beverage ingredients. Visit goodtoknowfacts.org. It's clear that we don't have all the answers when it comes to Emily's reports of sexual assault, but I think it does help us better understand her state of mind and possible causes for her abrupt shift in behavior. After these very traumatic events, Emily was removed from her home and placed in the care of San Carlos Apache Tribal Social Services. She was placed in a few different group homes, and contact with her family was restricted and monitored. In August 2023, Emily was placed in a group home in Mesa, Arizona. The owner of the group home, Liz Morales, told the Arizona Republic that when Emily arrived, she was made aware that she had a history of suicide attempts and self-harm.

12:37They were also briefed on her home life and the sexual assaults. Emily had tried to hang herself just weeks before she was taken from her home, and she arrived at the group home with cuts on her arm. Now, Emily did have quite a bit of freedom in this group home. According to reporting by the Arizona Republic, the kids in their care were free to come and go with permission, but their time was structured and monitored. They were able to go out with friends and participate in extracurricular activities, but Emily still wanted to go home and it wasn't long before she began running from the group home.

13:14Emily was reported missing four times between September and November 2023. In one incident, she left with another child. Three times she was returned home by the Mesa police, and the other she came back on her own. According to the police reports, Emily complained about her life at the group home, saying she was made to scrub the walls and had negative interactions with staff and other residents. Then, on November 8, 2023, just before 10 a.m., group home staff made another call to the Mesa Police Department to report that Emily had attempted to die by suicide Staff at the home found her in the closet of the primary bedroom with a shoestring around her neck and the other end tied to a doorknob She'd also cut her wrist Relatives on Emily's father's side say that they were trying to adopt Emily at this time They knew that her mother's home was unsafe and that Emily was suicidal, but they say they didn't know about the sexual assaults, adding that Emily's mother and other relatives didn't discuss it with them.

14:19But the plan was to get her out. They were approved to take Emily over the Thanksgiving holiday for a trip to Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah, where she met other relatives and began discussions of her coming to live with them. Emily's aunt, Carolyn Pikebender, who has helped spearhead getting justice for Emily, told the Arizona Republic, quote, one thing that bothers me is people saying, where was the family? Why hasn't the family come forward? How come the family didn't take her? We loved her, end quote. Carolyn and her husband, who happens to be a police officer, felt that they would be more than capable of caring for Emily.

14:57And they say that she seemed excited when they talked about her moving into their home in Fort Collins, at least temporarily. They also say that while Emily was enjoying the trip, she was still displaying some alarming behaviors. Carolyn says that when Emily was happy and just being herself, she was bubbly and spoke like any other normal teenage girl. But when Emily was told she couldn't do something, she would get quiet or upset and begin crying. Carolyn says that the day after Thanksgiving, they were shopping at the mall and getting ready to see the Taylor Swift Heiress tour movie, and Emily wanted to buy some makeup.

15:32When she was told that she needed to wait, she left. After looking for Emily for a few hours, they reported her missing to local police. They found her in an indoor trampoline park. When an officer approached her and said that she needed to leave, he said that she was quiet but defiant. He spoke with her for a few minutes, but she still wouldn't budge. Finally, Carolyn pulled Emily up from the chair she was sitting in, and they began to walk outside. At this point, the officers escorting Emily out by her arm. While they were talking, Emily insisted on being taken back to her mother's house or the group home in Mesa.

16:09Then things escalated. Carolyn told the Arizona Republic, quote, we tried talking to her and reminding her, you know, Emily, we're here for you. We want to do what's best for you. The cop was holding her by the arm, just trying to escort her out, and then she turns around and reaches for his gun. End quote. Carolyn said that Emily was soft-spoken but clear. She wanted to die by suicide and said that she'd see her relatives in hell. Emily was then placed in handcuffs and transported by ambulance to a local hospital. Carolyn says that she tried to call tribal social services, but they didn't immediately return her phone calls.

16:51It was Liz Morales, the owner of the group home who ultimately responded, flew to Colorado, and escorted Emily back to the Mesa group home. Carolyn said this is the last time she saw her niece. She says Emily wasn't the same girl she used to be, and no longer recognized her. Clearly, at this point, Emily had gone through a lot, and she was a danger to herself and possibly others. After this, Emily was admitted into a behavioral treatment center for a year. She was then sent back to the same group home in Mesa. Liz Morales says that after Emily was discharged from the hospital, she seemed better.

17:29She was smiling and back to her more bubbly self. She was also more focused and often spoke of going to college to pursue a degree in art. But Emily still wanted to go home.

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18:12On January 27, 2025, while most of the staff and other kids were engaged with a volunteer church group visiting the home, Emily left out of her bedroom window and ran again. She did not have a cell phone. While initial reports about Emily's murder speculated that she may have left the group home to see a boy, Liz Morales says that Emily was determined to go home and take care of her mom. She believes that was her intended destination when she ran, to go to Peridot on the reservation. She told the Arizona Republic, quote, She just missed her family. It was that simple. Did I think she was running away because she was afraid?

18:51No. Was she gone and planning on going for good? No. End quote. Emily was last seen at about 7.45 p.m. in the home near Mesa Drive and McKellips Road in Mesa. Her house manager reported her missing to police that night as a runaway. It's believed she left on foot and it was dark outside. The response from the Mesa PD was lackluster. Emily had a history of running, so they assumed that like every other time she ran, she'd be back, and not much was done to look for her. Flyers were made and put up in the Mesa area, but really, that seems like all that was done. The Mesa PD has since come out and say that running away isn't a crime, and they aren't required to assign a detective to a missing person case if a child is suspected of running away.

19:40Mesa detective Richard Giles added that the group homes tend to generate a higher number of missing persons reports, but those kids are almost always found. In a co-branded flyer from the Mesa PD and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, it explained that Emily was a missing runaway juvenile, 14 years old, Native American, with brown hair and brown eyes, 4 '10", weighed 115 pounds, and was last seen wearing a pink and gray shirt in the area of Mesa Drive and McAllops Road. Emily's mother was notified of her disappearance a week after she was reported missing. And really, her case didn't garner much attention until the end of February, when that internal memo I told you about at the top of the episode was posted to the Gila County Sheriff's Office Facebook page.

20:28On February 26, they released a statement acknowledging the leak. They also explained that they felt that there was no threat to the public, and they were still working to identify the woman who'd been killed. The next day, they released another statement to confirm that they'd identified the woman, and have notified next of kin. It wasn't long before it came to light that that woman was actually 14-year-old Emily Pike. Her manner of death has been deemed a homicide, but her cause of death is still unknown. We don't know when she was killed or how long she was out there. It's also unknown what type, if any, forensic evidence they may have that could possibly link to the perpetrator or perpetrators.

21:08And the Healy County Sheriff's Office say that they don't have a primary suspect or investigative lead. They added that their focus is on locating the person who disposed of Emily's remains in such a crude manner. But, now we know that her remains were found just 25 miles northwest of her family's home. However, it's still unclear if Emily actually ever made it home.

21:5818 plus. Select Hulu content via Disney Plus. Additional content on Hulu app. Terms apply. Visit DisneyPlus.com slash Hulu for details. This episode is brought to you by Rakuten. If you're shopping while working, eating, or even listening to this podcast, then you know and love the thrill of a deal. But are you getting the deal and cash back? Rakuten shoppers do. They get the brands they love, savings, and cash back. And you can get it too. Stack sales on top of cash back and feel what it's like to know you're maximizing savings. It's easy to use and you get cash back sent to you through PayPal or check.

22:29The idea is simple. The brands you love pay Rakuten for sending them shoppers and Rakuten shares the money with you as cash back. Download the free Rakuten app or go to Rakuten.com to start saving today. It's the most rewarding way to shop. That's R-A-K-U-T-E-N. Rakuten.com. The question remains, what happened to Emily Pike? There's been a lot of speculation in her case, and honestly, a lot of finger-pointing between agencies. Tribal leaders pointed to the group home, saying they failed to keep Emily safe. And the group home has received a lot of scrutiny. When I first covered Emily's case, one of the most discussed aspects of it was the fact that there were 30 reports of children going missing from that specific group home.

23:16Many people assume that there were 30 children still missing. Personally, my social media feed was flooded with accusations against this group home, saying that they were running some type of trafficking ring. But that really doesn't appear to be the case. We now know that 30 reports were made in relation to 18 children from the group home going missing since 2022. While confidentiality laws prevent Liz Morales from describing every child who ran, she has confirmed that they are all accounted for. but she does admit that one case isn't technically closed. That case involves a girl who ran multiple times and ran again around the same time Emily went missing.

23:57Morales says that she's spoken to the girl's mother and her location is known to both her, her family, and police. She added that this particular girl is close to turning 18 and doesn't want to go back to the group home. So she's basically waiting it out. This is not an uncommon occurrence with children in the foster care system. She also addressed rumors that spanned from restraining children to Emily possibly being some type of cult blood sacrifice. She told the Arizona Republic, quote, We're not a cult. We're not sucking the blood from children. We're not abusing our children. I've heard it all.

24:33And so have my children. It's scary. The kids already have anxiety. They have trauma. This is something out of left field. End quote. She also says that another group home was mistaken for Emily's, and became the target of protesters after hearing these rumors on social media. Now, Liz Morales runs multiple group homes in Arizona, and the name of her company has been publicly released. But most news organizations have not published that information in an effort to keep the children in those homes safe, so I'm going to follow suit. Liz Morales and her group home agency are being investigated in relation to Emily's case.

25:14The other children living with Emily have been interviewed, as has the staff, and Emily's father has threatened a lawsuit against them. While the investigation is still ongoing, the Department of Child Safety, who oversees group homes in Arizona, released a statement saying, quote, At this time, the department does not believe any actions taken or not taken by the group home caused the terrible outcome in this case. We have opened a licensing inquiry to determine whether appropriate steps were taken by the group home during this incident. End quote. Of course, anything is possible. There may be something found linking the group home to Emily's death.

25:52But we don't have anything to conclude that yet. What we can conclude, what we do know, is that there are real-life repercussions of perpetrating these rumors. There are children, some as young as 7 years old, who've already experienced trauma, feeling even more unsafe. And I don't want to contribute to that. I also think it's safe to say that if Liz Morales is running some type of trafficking ring or cult out of these homes, she might be one of the best criminals in history. That would require getting potentially dozens of children, volunteers, caseworkers, and police officers to stay quiet about it.

26:29Liz Morales says that she's run group homes for 24 years, and Emily is the first child to be killed in her care San Carlos Apache tribal leaders have also asked for a state review of licensing requirements for all residential care facilities And for a separate investigation into how Emily was able to leave All lies are on this group home and agency as a whole And it's been upsetting to Emily's family, as they believe her case has really become a game of finger-pointing instead of action for reform. After one of Emily's memorial services in March, her uncle Allred Pike said, If you look at what the tribe is saying, they're pointing to the group home, but they are not pointing internally to see where they failed, and that's where the frustration comes in.