MOHAVE COUNTY, Ariz. — More than half a year after two bodies were found a few miles south of St. George, the family of Jerry and Susan McFalls are still awaiting answers.
The McFalls, who were both 62 when they mysteriously went missing from their home early last year in Littlefield, Arizona, are the subject of a homicide investigation after one of the bodies was identified as Susan McFalls.
The other body, however, remains unidentified after being sent to the FBI crime lab for DNA analysis in October. The delay in identification has become a major source of frustration for the couple’s family as they seek closure and justice.
While the family “fully anticipates” the other body to be identified as Jerry McFalls, the couple’s daughter-in-law, Meridee McFalls, told St. George News the wait for confirmation has been “very frustrating.”
“They will not give us an answer as to how much longer we will be waiting,” she said Tuesday. “They were found 232 days ago and we do not think this is an acceptable amount of time to wait for answers in a double homicide or identification.”
The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office based in Kingman, Arizona, opened a homicide investigation after the bodies were reportedly found buried near a dirt road in a dispersed camping area a few miles south of the Utah-Arizona border not far from Interstate 15. One body was quickly identified as Susan McFalls thanks to a medical device in her leg that had a matching serial number from her medical records.
The burial site has since been adorned with an elaborate shrine created by friends and family complete with solar-activated lighting and a custom-welded memorial cross.
The McFalls were listed as missing in January 2018 after a welfare check and subsequent search of the couple’s home in Littlefield did not turn up any leads. The couple’s vehicles, pets, phones, money and other personal items were found undisturbed at the home.
An extensive search effort and investigation that involved hundreds of volunteers ensued in the months after their disappearance up until the remains were found. Since that time, authorities have remained mostly tight-lipped about the resulting homicide investigation.
“Unfortunately, there is no new information to give about the investigation,” Mohave County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Anita Mortensen told St. George News Tuesday. “We are still waiting on the results of the DNA testing to positively identify the second set of remains and we do not have an estimated time of when we will receive that.”
Meridee McFalls said the case was recently given a “fresh set of eyes” with a new detective. While she said the new detective has been more communicative with the family, they have still not received any new information since the bodies were found eight months ago.
“There are many cases that we have watched unfold where remains have been identified much quicker,” she said. “They keep telling me it is a very active case and they are working on things but will not tell me what they are working on or even a timeline of expectation.”
While they await answers, the family has been providing regular updates and tribute posts for Jerry and Susan on a Facebook page.
Mortensen said the case remains under active investigation.
“My detectives are still very hard at work on this case and want to bring a resolution to the family and community,” she said. “We will always accept tips from the public or information in regards to this case and any other case we handle.”
Anyone with information regarding Jerry and Susan McFalls is encouraged to contact the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office Detective Division at 928-753-0753 or the toll free number at 1-800-522-4312.
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