Police: Man, woman found dead in separate locations in Casa Grande identified

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. - Police say the bodies of a man and woman have been found in two different locations in Casa Grande.

Casa Grande Police tells FOX 10 the man's body was discovered around 6 a.m. along Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway and Val Vista Boulevard. They say someone driving by spotted the body and immediately called the police.

"All of that area is desert area - so wet and muddy areas because of rain last night," said Officer Thomas Anderson with the Casa Grande Police Department. "Our officers arrived on scene and found a male subject deceased in the wash area."

45 minutes later, while officers were investigating the first body, another call comes in. A body of a woman had been spotted about 10 miles away.

"She was found near a tree line by a citizen," Officer Anderson said. "Officers arrived and once again, [there were] no obvious signs of foul play, but weather could possibly be an issue."

The man may have drowned in the area, which is known for flash-flooding. The woman may have been overcome by the heat. On Thursday, the man who died was identified as 49-year-old Kerlin Leon Justin of the Maricopa area, and the woman is identified as 20-year-old Shaneya Roanhorse from the Chinle area. There is no evidence indicating foul play at this time, and family members of the two have been notified.

In Casa Grande, some expressed relief that something sinister didn't cause the deaths.

"[With] the amount of rain that we got and it could be heat exhaustion for the woman, you just never know," said Leticia Guzman.

"Whether or not these are weather-related - this is that time of year where the heat [and] Monsoon season and the rainy weather coming up quickly and surprising people - it's not a good time to be walking around in [certain] areas of the desert," Officer Anderson said.

Officer Anderson says they'll know much more once they receive autopsies back on both bodies but right now, he's saying it's quite possible both of these deaths were weather-related.

If anyone has any information, please contact Casa Grande Police at 520-421-8700.