Homicide investigation underway after 2 teens found dead in remote area near Phoenix, officials say

PHOENIX -- Two teenagers were found dead in a remote area just outside of Phoenix, Arizona, prompting a homicide investigation, authorities confirmed.

The teenagers were found Tuesday morning off of State Route 87, between Mesa and Payson, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office. Our affiliate station ABC15 reported based on sources that they were found at a campsite near Mount Ord, which is in the Tonto National Forest.

Officials identified one of the victims as 18-year-old Pandora Kjolsrud and the other only as a 17-year-old. Family and friends identified that victim to ABC15 as Evan Clark.

Details about what led up to their deaths remain unclear, but the Maricopa County Medical Examiner reportedly lists the deaths as "homicides."

Arcadia High School in Arizona sent a letter to families saying that two of its students lost their lives and that their deaths were being investigated, according to ABC15. The school did not identify the victims by name.

The station spoke to Kjolsrud's mother, who shared the following message about her daughter: "She was a bright light in this world who loved every single person she met and had an unusual ability to make every person she met feel special and loved. She was a friend to many and a beloved daughter. She lived life in a big way and was always up for an adventure. She loved hiking and camping and her favorite place on earth was camelback mountain."