A missing person investigation turned into a homicide investigation on Monday, after authorities in Arizona found the body of 19-year-old woman who vanished in early August.
HuffPost reported that a passerby discovered Kiera Bergman’s body Monday near State Route 85 in Buckeye, located approximately 30 minutes from her Phoenix apartment. Details surrounding the discovery are scarce, with police only saying that they’re conducting “an active homicide investigation.”
The tragic development comes days after police publically said foul play is likely involved in Bergman’s disappearance. Phoenix Police Department Sergeant Vince Lewis, initially called her disappearance “suspicious,” despite Bergman reportedly leaving her wallet, purse, and car behind.
Despite this, authorities haven’t identified a suspect or person of interest.
Bergman’s boyfriend, Jon Christopher Clark, 23, was arrested two weeks after Bergman’s disappearance on aggravated identity theft and forgery charges. Police reportedly searched Clark’s car and discovered multiple items with personal information, none of which belonged to him or Bergman
Clark previously told HuffPost that he was at the apartment on August 4 when Bergman stormed off following a misunderstanding. He claimed Bergman mistakingly thought he was leaving for a job in Texas.
AZFamily reported that the pair broke up shortly before Bergman vanished. Moreover, Bergman’s roommate reported her missing after she failed to turn up for work and sent a strange text message about meeting up with a man she met at the store.
Clark also revealed that he’s given police his DNA but refused to take a lie detector test, saying that he didn’t want investigators to come to conclusions using something that isn’t completely infallible.
Clark hasn’t been charged in connection with Bergman’s disappearance or murder. Clark was set to be released but authorities charged him with a probation violation stemming from a 2018 arrest for theft in California. One of the stipulations for his probation was that he couldn’t commit any crimes.
Clark remains jailed on a $25,000 bond.
“There is a suspect out there, but we don’t have anyone to name or charge at this time,” Lewis said, according to The Arizona Republic. “We don’t not believe this was a suicide. There will be an autopsy performed by the medical examiner.”
[Featured Image: Kiera Bergman/Facebook]
