Nearly a year after the brutal murder of an 18-year-old Nebraska man, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has indicted a suspect. The victim, Parker League, had traveled from Nebraska to Phoenix to celebrate his high school graduation when he was tragically killed. His dismembered and burned body was discovered on June 12, 2023, in a remote desert area known as “The Pit” within the Tonto National Forest.
The suspect, 38-year-old Anthonie Ruinard, was arrested on July 5. He faces a litany of charges, including first-degree murder, multiple counts of narcotic drug possession and manufacture, possession of a weapon by a prohibited person, theft and fraudulent use of a credit card, and concealment of a dead body.
The grand jury’s indictment of Ruinard came after a thorough investigation by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities were alerted to suspicious activity on League’s bank card after his remains were discovered. The sheriff’s office then submitted its case to prosecutors in October.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell praised the diligence of her team, stating, “Experienced homicide prosecutors in my office combed through nearly 4,000 pages of material submitted in this homicide case. After five months of careful review, we were able to secure this indictment.” She added that this is the next step in seeking justice for Parker League and his family.
The brutality of the crime was underscored by the fact that League had been dismembered, stabbed, and burned beyond recognition. Identification of the body was only possible through dental records. Investigators were able to obtain video footage from multiple locations where League’s bank card was used after his death. Furthermore, video footage from a gas station in Chandler, Arizona, showed League and Ruinard together on June 11, the last time League was seen alive.
Evidence of League’s DNA was found in Ruinard’s vehicle after a search warrant was executed on his house and car. League’s last known location was a residence in Tempe, Arizona, where he was visiting friends and where his belongings were found. League had last communicated with his brother on June 10, and was scheduled to return to Nebraska on June 12, the day his body was discovered.
League’s brother, Hunter, expressed his family’s grief to local media, stating, “It’s hard to accept because he was the nicest kid in the world.” Ruinard is scheduled to stand trial in July.