YUMA, Ariz. - A man has been arrested in connection to the case of a missing teen girl's death that investigators deemed as "suspicious."
The backstory:
On June 1, the Yuma County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a dead female near South Adams Avenue and East Tera Lane.
The victim went unidentified for two days. Officials described her as a female short in stature with black curly hair, black-painted toenails, and braces. She was found wearing pink shorts and a blue shirt.
On June 3, deputies identified her as a previously reported missing 15-year-old from San Luis, Arizona.
What we don't know:
The girl wasn't identified, and it's unclear how she died.
Update:
On Aug. 13, deputies, along with the U.S. Marshals Service and Border Patrol, arrested 52-year-old Mark Spadt, a Yuma resident. Investigators say Spadt was identified as a person of interest early on in the investigation.
"After extensive investigative work and evidence collection, Mark Spadt was identified as the suspect," the sheriff's office said.
Spadt was booked into jail and is accused of first-degree murder, sexual conduct with a minor, custodial interference and evidence tampering.
Map of where the victim was found dead:
The Source: The Yuma County Sheriff's Office and a FOX 10 report on June 3, 2026.