Authorities in Arizona arrested a suspect in connection with the murder of a teenager who was visiting the state from Nebraska, went missing and whose body was ultimately found burning in a fire pit off the highway.
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office arrested Anthonie Ruinard, 37, on Wednesday for the murder of missing 18-year-old Parker League, who was discovered in Bulldog Canyon, an off-highway vehicle area, near Apache Junction, KPHO reported.
League’s body was found on June 12, the date he was supposed to fly back to Nebraska. Officials said League was stabbed multiple times, his hands and head were cut off and his body was burned beyond recognition, detectives said.
Authorities described League’s death as "malicious" and swiftly investigated it as a homicide, according to the MCSO. Investigators used surveillance footage at a club League visited in Phoenix and that of a gas station in the same area to piece together the events of that night.
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The investigation was also helped by League’s family, who told police that League’s bank statements showed someone was still using his debit and credit cards at several stores and restaurants in Arizona.
Investigators said surveillance video showed the cards were being used by Ruinard, who had met League earlier in the night at a club in Phoenix.
Court documents show League was dropped off at the club just after midnight on June 11. About two and a half hours later, Ruinard and a woman identified as his girlfriend arrived at the same club, KPHO reported.
The three then left the club together around 3:45 a.m., officials said.
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Ruinard and League were seen once more together on surveillance video in a gas station parking lot around 4:30 a.m. The footage shows the two men go inside, purchase some items and leave together in a Dodge Challenger, according to KPHO.
Officials said this was the last time Parker was seen alive.
More than 12 hours later, Ruinard attempted to use League’s credit cards once more at Walmart but was denied, KPHO reported.
After League’s family couldn’t get ahold of him, they reported him missing on June 14.
According to the report, deputies investigated Ruinard’s home, where they found about 2 pounds of cocaine and other drugs. Detectives also found the Challenger, which belonged to Ruinard. Blood was also found in the vehicle.
Sheriff’s Office deputies subsequently arrested Ruinard.
He was booked into jail on charges of first-degree degree murder, possessing narcotic drugs, having equipment and chemicals to make narcotics, one count of theft of a credit card, one count of fraudulent use of a credit card, two counts of possessing a weapon by a prohibited possessor and one count of concealing a body. His bond is set at $2 million.
