Arcadia High School students killed: Suspect arrested 4 months after their deaths

MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. - A suspect has been arrested in connection to the deaths of two Arcadia High School students back in May.

What we know:

Officials said 31-year-old Thomas Brown of Chandler was arrested in connection with the deaths of 18-year-old Pandora Kjolsrud and 17-year-old Evan Clark, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office announced on Oct. 2.

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office website says he's accused of first-degree premeditated murder. The office released a video of Brown being booked into jail. It shows him getting out of a sheriff's office SUV, getting a pat down, going through a body scanner, getting his mug shot taken, and then being put into a cell.

Dig deeper:

Brown's arrest came more than four months after Clark and Kjolsrud's bodies were found in the Mount Ord area of the Tonto National Forest. They both had gunshot wounds.

Officials with MCSO said Brown contacted them following the murders, saying he had taken video on the mountain the same weekend that the teens were killed.

Ultimately, it was Brown's DNA that was found inside one of the teen's cars, on a pair of bloody gloves, and on additional evidence found at the crime scene, that led to his arrest.

Five other witnesses came forward, who say they came across Brown on the mountain. The witnesses recalled Brown acting "strange" during their interaction.

Investigators said they looked at Brown as a suspect from the beginning, as Brown had made multiple social media posts that he was camping at Mount Ord the same weekend Clark and Kjolsrud were killed. They also say Brown acted alone, and this was a random attack.

"What a senseless, violent act," said Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan.

What they're saying:

During a news conference on Oct. 3, Kjolsrud's mother, Simone, said her daughter was full of joy and light. Simone said she contacted police after constant communication with her daughter went dark on May 25.

"The violent murders he committed against two innocent teenagers. My daughter's life matters, and I look forward to the day the perpetrator is convicted and punished for his crimes," she said.

"Based on that evidence collected, Thomas Browne provided false and misleading information regarding his involvement," MCSO Capt. David Lee said. "It was the comparison of his statements and their physical evidence. He mentioned that he flew a drone around the mountain, and that was one of the reasons that we had contact him."

Brown's attorney questions evidence

Brown made his initial court appearance on Thursday night, where an attorney called some of the evidence in the case into question.

The other side:

"The case does involve, Your Honor, as you’re aware, the form 4 – the murder of two teenagers who were camping. Both of these victims were shot multiple times. Both of the victims were moved, concealed in the brush, as you know, in the form 4. Brown’s DNA was found in the SUV. Brown’s DNA was found inside the gloves, with the blood on the outside," said an attorney from the Maricopa County Attorney's Office.

"He doesn't deny in the probable cause statement that he had contact with both of the alleged victims. He was there camping. He was there hiking, but importantly, there is little reference to where Mr. Brown's DNA was not found," Brown's attorney replied.

Brown's attorney also noted that his client is a military veteran with no prior criminal history. His bond was set at $2 million.

Map of the area where the victims were found