'Somebody knows this person': Distraught parents of Arizona esthetician, 29, found murdered on desert hiking trail after being 'attacked from behind' call for help identifying 'heinous' suspect - after cops release clip of mystery man running
By Andrea Cavallier For Dailymail.Com17:41 BST 04 May 2023 , updated 22:35 BST 04 May 2023A 29-year-old woman was 'viciously' attacked from behind and killed while she was hiking on a popular trail in Phoenix and police have released chilling video of a shadowy figure who they are calling a suspect in her murder.
Lauren Heike, an esthetician who had recently moved to Arizona from Washington, was believed to be alone Friday morning on the Reach 11 trail not far from her home when she murdered by the unknown assailant between 10 and 11 a.m.
Her body was found the next day because police said she was in an area that isn't necessarily visible from the trail. Police added that Heike had 'trauma to her body' from the attack. They have not yet shared how she was killed, but called the killer's behavior 'heinous.'
In the short clip police released this week, a figure is seen sprinting on the trail on Friday morning in the area where Heike's body was found.
The suspect is described as thin man with a dark complexion, 5′8″ to 6′ tall, who was wearing a gray or lighter-colored shirt, dark pants, a dark backpack, and shoes, police said in an update on Wednesday.
Lana Heike described her daughter as a beautiful, kindhearted woman who was sweet to everyone she met.
'We want somebody to come forward and help us find this person,' Lana said.
'Somebody wearing a backpack or a hoodie or whatever the video, it's hard to tell in a sunny hot day, that person will stand out. When you've done something, you're going to be unusual,' Lana added.
'Please think if you had seen something, were in that area, if you know of somebody strange or acting weird. Somebody knows this person.'
Her parents tearfully said they just want justice for their daughter.
Lana added: 'As hard as this is for us, we're grateful because we had such a beautiful child. We will love her every minute that we are on this Earth.'
'She was my little girl. I'm really going to miss her,' her father, Jeff, said. 'I know someone knows something and they can help us.'
The Victim
Source:https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ian-29-murdered-hiking-trail-close-lived.html
