SAN TAN VALLEY, AZ – A morning jog turned tragic on Wednesday when a passerby discovered the body of a 38-year-old woman in a farm field, leading to the arrest of her teenage son on murder charges.
The body of Mary Collier was found shortly after 9 a.m. in an agricultural area west of Gantzel Road and south of Skyline Drive in San Tan Valley. Within minutes of the initial 911 call reporting the discovery, authorities received a second emergency call reporting a kidnapping from the 700 Block of West Vineyard Plains Drive.
Deputies quickly connected the two incidents, determining that the deceased woman was the subject of the reported kidnapping. The second call was placed by Collier’s 18-year-old son, who has since been identified as the primary suspect in her death.
When law enforcement arrived at the scene, they found the suspect suffering from self-inflicted wounds. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office has announced that upon his release, he will be booked into the Pinal County Jail on charges of First Degree Murder.
The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office Detective Division is actively investigating the incident. No further details have been released at this time.
