A MURDER suspect accused of gunning down two teenagers in the Arizona wilderness has been arrested more than four months after their bodies were discovered.
The case shocked the community when the friends were found shot dead near Mount Ord in the Tonto National Forest over Memorial Day Weekend.
31-year-old military veteran Thomas Brown has been arrested after DNA evidence tied him to the brutal murders of two Arizona teens[/caption]
Two teens were found shot dead near Mount Ord in the Tonto National Forest over Memorial Day Weekend[/caption]
On Thursday night, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office revealed detectives had taken 31-year-old Thomas Brown into custody.
Chilling footage released by officials showed the Phoenix man being hauled from a deputy’s cruiser, his hands cuffed as he was marched inside to a holding cell.
A mugshot released alongside the clip captured Brown’s icy glare, just hours before he was charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
The victims, 17-year-old Evan Clark and 18-year-old Pandora Kjolsrud, had been camping when they were shot multiple times, according to court records.
The teens’ bodies were discovered during the overnight hours of May 26 into May 27.
They had set out on their camping trip May 25 and were reported overdue to the Gila County Sheriff’s Office around 4 pm the next day by Kjolsrud’s worried mother.
Deputies rushed to the area and discovered a vehicle belonging to one of the victims.
Disturbingly, it had blood on the bumper and a bloody pillowcase inside.
Maricopa County Sheriff’s detectives were alerted and arrived at the scene just after midnight to begin their homicide investigation
DNA evidence cracked the case, investigators said, linking Brown to a blood-soaked glove and to one of the teens’ vehicles.
Court documents revealed his DNA was also found inside the SUV belonging to one of the victims, despite his claim he was never inside, Fox local affiliate KSAZ-TV reported.
In the weeks that followed, detectives received multiple tips about the case – including from Brown himself.
“Sometimes suspects do that,” Sheriff Jerry Sheridan explained.
“They try and cozy up to the detectives, see what information they have.”
Arizona Wilderness Murders
- Victims: Evan Clark, 17, and Pandora Kjolsrud, 18, students at Arcadia High School in Phoenix.
- Timeline: Went camping May 25; reported overdue May 26; bodies found overnight May 26–27 near Mount Ord in Tonto National Forest.
- Discovery: Deputies found a car with blood on the bumper and a bloody pillowcase inside before locating the teens’ bodies hidden in brush.
- Suspect: Thomas Brown, 31, married military veteran with no prior criminal record.
- Evidence: DNA linked him to a blood-soaked glove and inside one victim’s SUV.
- Behavior: Contacted detectives himself and was flagged as suspicious; other campers also reported him as “strange.”
- Charges: Two counts of first-degree murder; held on $2 million cash-only bond.
- Next Court Date: October 8.
“And the detectives had a very bad feeling about this individual. And then ultimately, through a lot of forensic science and DNA evidence, they were able to connect him to this crime.”
A group of five campers also contacted investigators and reported meeting a man they described as “strange.”
Their tip further narrowed the focus on Brown, court records show.
During his initial hearing, Brown’s attorney admitted he “had contact” with the teens but insisted that didn’t mean he killed them.
The lawyer argued the military veteran had been in the area camping and hiking, and said Brown handled items he found nearby.
But detectives wrote that his story didn’t add up, accusing him of giving “false or misleading information” about his involvement.
Maricopa County Sheriff’s Captain David Lee said that investigators have found no link between the suspect and the slain teens.
“At this time, we do not have any information to suggest that there was any evidence of any connection between Evan Clark, Pandora Schuller and Thomas Brown,” Captain Lee said.
“We’re unaware of any allegation that Evan and Pandora’s action or conduct contributed to their deaths.”
Brown served 10 years in the military and has no prior criminal history, his defense noted.
The married suspect previously told police he had left his wife to fly a drone in the national forest.
He is now being held on $2 million cash-only bond, with his next court date set for October 8.
Clark’s devastated mother, Sandra Sweeney, said the arrest brought her the “closure I desperately needed.”
“The past 4 months, I’ve been haunted every night by the murder of my son,” she told NBC affiliate 12News.
“I hope now that they have someone in custody, everyone can sleep safe knowing this person can’t harm anyone else.”
Pandora’s family remembered her for her “vivacious personality” and love of the outdoors.
“She was a beautiful human being and a bright light in this world who loved every single person she met,” her GoFundMe read.
Friends said she thrived while camping, kayaking, horseback riding, and hiking.
Her mother, Simone Kjolsrud, said her heart had been shattered into “a million pieces.”
Clark, described by his mom as an “old soul,” was her only child.
“He 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,” she said.
“He was special. He deserved a long life.”
Both victims were students at Arcadia High School in Phoenix, located about 64 miles southwest of where they were found.
Evan Clark’s devastated mother said the arrest brought her the “closure I desperately needed”[/caption]
Pandora Kjolsrud’s family remembered her for her “vivacious personality” and love of the outdoors[/caption]
