Arizona

The Perfect Getaway: Why Sedona, Arizona Is a Prime Location…for Crime Fiction

Published

2 years ago

August 2, 2024

The Perfect Getaway: Why Sedona, Arizona Is a Prime Location…for Crime Fiction

With its stunning red rock canyons and forest trails, Sedona, Arizona, is the perfect getaway. This might be what you’re thinking if you’re planning a family vacation. Or if (like me) you’re plotting a crime novel.

Article continues after advertisement

Each year millions of people visit this small town, known for its luxury resorts and outdoor recreation. Miles of trails lead into Coconino National Forest, winding among colorful sandstone formations bearing charming nicknames: Teapot, Snoopy, Elephant Rock. It’s a little like a Disneyland for hikers. (And locals are quick to tell you, Walt Disney did own a vacation home here for a while.)

But even a cartoon-shaped rock casts a shadow. Rattlesnakes, rockfalls, flash floods, lightning strikes. Experienced hikers know they share the trails with natural hazards. And yet the savviest travelers—lulled by the landscape, soothed by Sedona’s reputation as a spiritual mecca—can be blithely unaware of its unnatural hazards.

If you approach from the west, a red-and-gold curtain of cliffs sweeps across the horizon to fill your windscreen. Why not pause at a scenic overlook to enjoy this panorama? In January 2012, a pair of travelers did just that. Perhaps they stretched their legs in the surrounding forest or lingered to watch sunset. The next morning, their Subaru wagon was still parked in the same spot, surrounded by broken glass and .223-caliber casings, passengers dead inside.

The last time I stopped at this roadside parking area, browning weeds had sprouted from the asphalt, and it felt haunted by violence. Three days after these shocking murders, the suspect engaged in a gun battle with authorities. His motives died with him—so did a Maricopa County deputy.

Article continues after advertisement

This wasn’t the only time Sedona’s serene beauty was marred by tragedy. Twenty years of living in Red Rock Country convinced me: Bad things can happen in beautiful places.

The day I moved here, all of Arizona was on alert. A murder suspect imprisoned for armed robbery, assault, and kidnapping had escaped, triggering the state’s largest manhunt. For seven weeks, he eluded county sheriffs, wilderness rangers, and federal agents. He worked his way north from the Sonoran Desert, hiding out in the state’s parks and forests and leaving a wake of crimes. In Grand Canyon National Park, he used hostages as a shield to escape pursuers, then melted into the wilderness. He was finally apprehended in Sedona.

Almost, but not quite, the perfect getaway.

Three-quarters of Arizona is public land or tribal land. Outside of Phoenix and Tucson, the landscape is rough, dry, and wrinkled. You can get lost out here, by choice or by accident. Among U.S. states, Arizona ranks second in missing persons per capita. One of the missing is forest ranger David Miller. In May 1998, he went backpacking in the canyons northwest of Sedona and never returned.

Anyone, even experienced hikers, can fall victim to circumstance. Others are victims of crime.

Article continues after advertisement

Marjorie Hope disappeared from her job in a local gift shop on Halloween, 1992. Her car was found abandoned, her keys and purse inside. There were no clues to her whereabouts, so a group of local psychics gathered to seek information that might help locate her. For years, metaphysical types had been drawn to Sedona, becoming neighbors and business owners, part of the community fabric. Locals accepted their skills long before Medium (the TV series based on a Phoenix woman) popularized the notion that folks with paranormal abilities might assist law enforcement.

I still get goosebumps remembering how it felt to be a young woman in Sedona then. As I wrote Over the Edge, that feeling returned—the sense that something unnatural and dark might be following behind me on a forest trail. I could have been David Miller or Marjorie Hope.

No one was able to shed light on Hope’s mysterious disappearance. For months, whispers about Satanists and cult involvement worked their way through town. Then, years later, hikers found her arm bones and skull—pierced by a bullet hole—near a forest road.

Hope’s killer was never found. Perhaps he was a passing visitor. Sometimes, however, evil wears a friendly face.

Sedona has been home to many spiritual communities over the years. As Ryan Driscoll (a Forest Service law enforcement officer in Over the Edge) observes, “One person’s cult is another’s spiritual awakening.” I met followers who were peaceful, polite, and content—if not outright blissful. But some were convinced to give away their life’s savings. Others lost their lives in extreme acts of spiritual initiation—like the woman who perished in July 2003 while hiking up Casner Mountain with a backpack full of rocks and limited water. Or like the three people who didn’t survive the disastrous October 2009 sweat lodge ceremony guided by a charismatic self-help luminary.

Mountain lions aren’t the only predators in Red Rock Country.

Even so, statistically speaking, you’re safer on a forest trail than on a city street. Most crimes on National Forest lands are as mundane as they are infuriating: littering, dumping, graffiti, resource damage or theft. Illegal campsites add a deadlier potential—wildfire.

“Do work that matters in some of the most beautiful places on earth,” reads one Forest Service recruitment message.

But a forest cop’s job isn’t a hike in the park. Chronically underfunded for its changing mission of protecting visitors as well as resources, the Forest Service employs fewer than a thousand LEOs and investigators to cover 190 million acres. Though their ranks are bolstered by cooperation with other local and federal agencies, Forest Service LEOs often work alone in some of the most isolated places in the U.S.

They’ve encountered meth labs and pot grows guarded by weapon-toting cartel members. In some areas, urban-associated crimes make up a significant percentage of USFS incidents. Bootleggers, smugglers, human traffickers, and other criminals have used forest lands to hide out … or to hide victims.

From desert canyons to Arizona’s highest peak, Coconino National Forest stretches over some 1.8 million acres. Travel a few miles from Sedona or Flagstaff, and cell phone coverage is sketchy. Trails and roads are rough and often unmaintained. Nights are dark, and weather can be extreme. Each year forest rangers, LEOs, first responders, and dedicated volunteers save dozens of people.

I wrote Over the Edge for them, and for the ones who couldn’t be saved.

***

Source link

Arizona

Arizona baseball falls to ASU in midweek nonconference game

Published

10 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Arizona baseball falls to ASU in midweek nonconference game

TEMPE – The Phoenix metro has not been kind to Arizona baseball through the first month of the season.

Arizona fell to rival ASU 10-4 on Tuesday night in front of a packed crowd at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. The Wildcats clawed back after falling behind 6-1, but the Sun Devils closed the door in the late innings.

The nonconference game was the first of five matchups between the rivals, with the UA hosting a 3-game Big 12 Conference series in early April followed by one more non-league game in Tempe.

Arizona (6-10) is now 0-4 in the Phoenix area, with three losses coming in the opening weekend College Baseball Series in Surprise. Arizona dropped to 0-3 in midweek games.

Collin McKinney got the start for the Wildcats, allowing four earned runs on five hits and six strikeouts. McKinney conceded one run in the first inning but escaped out of a bases loaded jam. He looked sharp until giving up a 2-run homer to ASU’s Dean Toigo in the fourth inning.

“We saw the velocity at times. We saw the breaking stuff,” Arizona coach Chip Hale said. “It was very encouraging from us on our side for him.“

The Sun Devils tacked on three more runs in the fourth, including a 2-run blast from Landon Hairston off reliever Matthew Martinez.

Arizona answered in the sixth inning when sophomore catcher Roman Meyers drilled a 450-feet 3-run homer to bring the score to 6-4. It was Meyers’ third homer of the season.

“He always has a chance. He’s got massive power,” Hale said. “So if he hits it he has a chance for a home run.”

Arizona’s five through nine hitters combined for six of the team’s eight hits, led by 2-hit games from Caleb Danzeisen and Cash Brennan.

Arizona’s offense, however, couldn’t keep up with the Sun Devils, who added runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to pull away. Wildcats pitchers gave up eight free bases on the night.

Arizona is back in action Friday when it begins Big 12 play at Utah. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. MST.

Source link

Arizona

WATCH: How Helping One Woman provides hope and support with ‘Girl’s Night Out’

Published

23 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

WATCH: How Helping One Woman provides hope and support with ‘Girl’s Night Out’

PEORIA, AZ — What if a simple dinner could help someone rebuild their life? In Peoria, a local chapter of Helping One Woman is doing just that by gathering once a month for a “Girls Night Out” with a powerful purpose.

Each month, women in the community nominate someone facing an unimaginable challenge: the loss of a spouse or child, a cancer diagnosis, or another life-altering hardship. That woman becomes the evening’s honoree.

At the dinner, attendees each contribute at least $10 and take part in raffles supported by local businesses. By the end of the night, the funds raised are gifted directly to the recipient to help with expenses during a difficult time.

But organizers say the money is only part of the impact. The room full of encouragement, hugs, and shared support can be just as powerful.

ABC15’s Cameron Polom talked with the Peoria chapter president and two women whose lives were changed thanks to the group’s generosity. See the full Uplifting Arizona story in the video player above.

See more from Uplifting Arizona:

Source link

Arizona

What have the Cardinals done in NFL free agency? – Arizona Sports

Published

1 day ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

What have the Cardinals done in NFL free agency? – Arizona Sports

The NFL’s legal tampering window is officially open, and it didn’t take long for the Arizona Cardinals to get in the mix.

A running list of the new names and familiar faces coming to Arizona in 2026:

New names on Cardinals roster this free agency

Kendrick Bourne

The former San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots wide receiver brings another body to Arizona’s wide receivers room that includes Michael Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr.

He’s got plenty of familiarity with new Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur from their time together in San Francisco (2017-20). Bourne also spent a year with expected Cardinals starter Jacoby Brissett in 2024 with the Patriots.

The wide receiver caught 37 passes for 551 yards in 16 games played (eight starts) last year.

He’s now on board for two years in Arizona.

Isaac Seumalo

The guard spent the past three years with the Pittsburgh Steelers after a seven-season stint with the Philadelphia Eagles.

He’s started 104 out of 125 games played and has spent time at both left and right guard during his NFL career.

According to Next Gen Stats, the guard allowed a 3.7% pressure rate last year. That was the lowest rate among all eligible guards in 2025.

Gardner Minshew

Minshew agreed to terms on a one-year deal on Monday.

He’s expected to back up expected starter Jacoby Brissett in 2026, according to Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro.

Coming off his seventh NFL season and first with the Kansas City Chiefs, Minshew appeared in four games (one start) last year. He completed 46.2% of his throws for 37 yards and an interception.

Before landing with the Chiefs, Minshew spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders (2024), Indianapolis Colts (2023), Philadelphia Eagles (2021-22) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2019-20).

RB Tyler Allgeier

Allgeier comes over to Arizona on a reported two-year contract.

Before agreeing to terms on the $12.25 million deal with Arizona on Monday, Allgeier played four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons.

He ran for 514 yards and eight touchdowns on 143 carries last year, while adding another 14 catches for 96 yards.

While he worked mostly behind Bijan Robinson the past three years, Allgeier did surpass the 1,000-yard mark as a rookie in 2022.

Familiar faces

L.J. Collier

Collier is back on a one-year deal.

The defensive lineman appeared in four games in 2025 due to a knee injury suffered in Week 2.

He recorded six tackles and two QB hits in what was his third season with the team.

Roy Lopez

After a one-year stint with the Detroit Lions, Lopez is back with his hometown team on a reported two-year deal.

In 17 games played last year, he recorded two sacks, four tackles for loss and a pass defensed.

Before his time in Detroit, Lopez spent two seasons with Arizona from 2023-24. During that span, he registered a sack, six tackles for loss, three passes defensed and a forced fumble in 30 games played (21 starts).

K Chad Ryland

Ryland is back on a one-year deal, the team announced.

Ryland went through plenty of struggles last season after a having a career year in 2024. His accuracy dropped from 87.5% in 2024 to 75.8% last season. He was especially inconsistent from 40 yards and on, compiling a 13-of-20 mark (65%). Inside 40 yards, though, Ryland was 12-of-13 (92.3%).

Arizona brought in kicker Josh Karty late in the year (more on him later), but Ryland never gave up his role and appeared in all 17 games.

A one-year deal isn’t going to break the bank by any means.

P Blake Gillikin

The Cardinals must feel pretty good about where Gillikin is at in his recovering from a back injury last year with their signing of the punter to a one-year deal.

Before he went down five games into the season, the punter was leading the league in yards per punt with 51.7.

Not only that, across his five seasons (65 games) in the NFL, he holds the all-time record for yards per punt at 48.5.

Staying healthy is key for Gillikin, who also missed time in 2024 due to an ankle injury.

RB James Conner

Technically not a free agent, Conner was a potential cut candidate given his contract.

But after reportedly revising his deal, Conner is returning for his sixth season with the Cardinals.

The running back brings plenty of leadership and a bruising running style to the mix.

He’s coming off an abbreviated 2025 (three games) due to an ankle injury but had rushed for a pair of 1,000-yard seasons the two years prior. He scored at least seven rushing touchdowns each season from 2022-24.

CB Sean Murphy-Bunting

Much like Conner, Murphy-Bunting was another prime cut candidate due to his contract but reportedly revised his deal with Arizona as well.

Murphy-Bunting has a lot to prove after missing all of 2025 due to an injury suffered away from the team facility.

In his first season with the Cardinals, the cornerback recorded 52 tackles, three interceptions, five passes defensed and two forced fumbles across 15 starts.

Follow @Tdrake4sports

Source link