The Brief

  • A 55-year-old man identified as Dean Emerson was found dead hours after walking away from a West Phoenix group home.

  • Officers discovered an unresponsive man on July 9, who was later positively identified as the missing resident.

  • Phoenix police reported that there were no obvious signs of trauma at the scene and foul play is not suspected.

PHOENIX – A man who was considered missing after leaving a West Phoenix group home, was found dead.

What we know

Phoenix Police responded to a report of a missing person near 61st and Indianola avenues on the afternoon of July 9. Staff at the group home told officials that the man, identified as 55-year-old Dean Emerson, left 20 minutes prior.

“Emerson was entered into the missing persons database,” the police department said.

Just before midnight that same day, officers responded to reports of an unresponsive man near 63rd Drive and Indian School Road. The man, whose identity was unknown at the time, but consistent with the description of Emerson, was pronounced dead.

What we don’t know

Police said there were no obvious signs of trauma, but his cause of death was not released. However, foul play is not suspected.

Dig deeper

Detectives issued a SAFE Alert for Emerson on July 10, but the following day, the Medical Examiner positively identified the man who died as Emerson.

The Source

Phoenix Police Department