Authorities still working to identify naked body found in Tempe neighborhood

TEMPE, Ariz. — Authorities are working to identify the body of a woman found naked in a Tempe neighborhood.

Tempe Police Sgt. Mike Pooley said the body of the unidentified woman was discovered about 4:30 AM on Saturday, June 15 after someone driving by spotted the body lying in the roadway.

When Tempe police arrived on scene at the 1900 block of East Minton Drive they discovered the body of a Hispanic or Native American female initially believed to be in her early 20s.

“It’s very unusual,” Pooley said “and for this type of crime to happen here is very shocking for the neighborhood.”

Pooley said the body had signs of trauma and police believe the woman was left in the neighborhood after being murdered elsewhere.

“We have our homicide detectives out here,” Pooley said. “We’re treating this as a homicide.”

Police have released a composite sketch of the woman’s face and are asking for the public’s help in identifying her.

On Monday, police released more details of the victim appearance. She is between 15 and 19-years-old, 4-foot-10-inches to 5-feet tall, 110 to 120 pounds with short brown/auburn colored hair.

She was found with turquoise stud earrings and a small diamond stud nose ring in her right nostril. She also had braces on her teeth.

The body had no tattoos, but had a scar on the outside of her right wrist and a surgical type scar on her throat.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Tempe Police Department.

“We have very little to go on right now,” Pooley said. “We’re asking for anybody [to notify us] if they know anything about this or if they’re missing anybody that fits that description.”

Several tips have come in to Tempe police, but so far not have assisted in identifying her.