Body found in Scottsdale canal ID'd as missing woman from Native American community: police

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Scottsdale police have identified the body found in a canal as a woman who had been reported missing since March 22 from the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.

What we know:

Passion Schurz, 28, was last seen alive at her home on March 19, but investigators are still determining how she died. 

Meanwhile, advocates are asking if a Turquoise Alert could have saved her life.

Leila Woodard with the Missing in America Network says Schurz's family contacted her after she was last seen on March 19, hoping someone had seen the mom.

"This was very unusual," she said. 'She left without her wallet and her purse, which she never did that. And so just the circumstances around her being missing was very concerning."

Woodard says Schurz was deeply loved by her community and that the circumstances surrounding her disappearance remain mysterious.

"She was very loved by her family and community in that she was a mother, you know, and this was very unusual," Woodard said. 

The backstory:

Scottsdale police say someone walking along the canal near Indian Bend and Hayden roads around 8 a.m. on March 28 spotted the body and called it in, prompting officers to respond and work to recover the body from the water.

Investigators said they identified Schurz based on tattoos, physical characteristics, and clothing, but what was missing were signs of trauma such as fractures, stab wounds, or gunshot injuries.

Dig deeper:

"The family and our advocates tried to work with the police to get a Turquoise Alert, but everyone was told she didn't meet the criteria," Woodward said.

The criteria for a Turquoise Alert include:

• The person is under 65 years old
• All resources have been used by a local agency
• The disappearance is suspicious or unexplained, and not just a runaway
• The person is in danger
• Issuing the alert could help safely find them

"Turquoise Alert was intended to help the missing murdered Indigenous peoples crisis in our state and entire North America and whenever it's not utilized, we were really upset," she added.

Why you should care:

While the circumstances around Schurz’s death remain unclear, Woodard said it’s crucial for people to be vigilant and report any signs of missing persons.

"The missing and murdered Indigenous person crisis is a really big deal," she said. "Indigenous women and girls, especially, go missing at disproportionate rates. And they're 10 times likely to be found deceased in Arizona. We're No. 2 in the nation for missing people and missing Indigenous people. So we have to kind of band together as a community."

SRPD's Statement:

Salt River Police said they did not consider Schurz's disappearance suspicious, or that she was with anyone dangerous. Based on the evidence, they said her disappearance did not qualify as a Turquoise Alert.

A statement from the department read in part:

"At the time the missing person report was taken, the information available to police did not indicate suspicious circumstances, nor was there any indication that the individual was in danger or in the company of a dangerous person.

Based on the facts known at the time of the initial report, the criteria required for the issuance of a Turquoise Alert were not met.

As with any missing person investigation, law enforcement evaluates each case based on the totality of the circumstances and the information available at the time. If new information emerges that changes the nature of the case, appropriate investigative and notification measures are reassessed accordingly."

What's next:

Scottsdale Police are handling the death investigation. 

Map of the area where the body was found.

Crime and Public SafetyScottsdaleMissing PersonsSalt RiverNews