What happened to Jesse Sainz Camacho? Remains of kidnapped Phoenix teen found in Maricopa County

Jesse Sainz Camacho, 17, was kidnapped during an armed home invasion, and his remains were found one week later, on December 28, 2022. On Monday, December 19, 2022, two suspects kidnapped the teenager from his Phoenix home, according to police.

Law enforcement officials discovered Jesse’s remains in Maricopa County. During the invasion, the two suspects shot an adult male who was also present at Jesse’s house. However, his injuries are considered to be non-life-threatening. Police initially did not reveal the identity of the victim. Later, Fox5 Washington DC reported that authorities have identified the gunshot victim as Jesse’s grandfather.

As of now, there have been no arrests, and police are looking for the two suspects. Images of one of them have also been made public in case anyone has any leads. Police have also claimed that the main target was Jesse Sainz Camacho, however, no motive has been identified yet.

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Arizona teenager Jesse Sainz Camacho was found dead in a rural area of Maricopa County

On December 19, 2022, police received an unknown distress call from the area of 91st Avenue and Camelback Road. They responded to the call at around 3.15 am local time. Upon arrival at the scene, law enforcement officials understood that an armed home invasion had taken place.

Sgt. Phil Krynsky, a spokesperson for the Phoenix Police Department, confirmed that officers discovered that two armed men had barged into the residence of Jesse Sainz Camacho and had shot his grandfather, who was reportedly sleeping at the time. Krynsky spoke about the incident and said,

“Two men forced their way into the home and shot a man who was asleep inside.”

After the violent shootout, the suspects allegedly abducted 17-year-old Jesse Sainz Camacho and forced him into a dark-colored sedan. The vehicle then fled the scene in an unidentified direction. A week later, on December 28, 2022, the remains of Jesse Sainz Camacho were found in a rural area of Maricopa County after the bloody home invasion. The official cause of death is yet to be determined.

According to authorities, one of the suspects was carrying a rifle, while the other was armed with a handgun. They have released surveillance images of the suspect carrying a rifle. The police found the man suffering from a gunshot wound and rushed him to the hospital. He sustained injuries, but authorities have confirmed that they are not life-threatening.

The surveillance images that police have received and then revealed show one of the armed suspects outside Camacho’s Phoenix house. According to the Phoenix Police Department, the suspects shot Jesse Sainz Camacho’s grandfather at around 3.15 am local time.

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Authorities believe the teen was the primary target in the armed home invasion

Krynsky mentioned that the authorities believe that the attack and the home invasion were primarily targeted at the teen. He said,

“Jesse was actually the intended target in that home invasion.”

No arrests have been made as of now. Sgt. Krynsky addressed the situation and said,

“We want to make sure we get these individuals off the street. We don’t want there to be any more violence with this, so once again, we are looking for you, we will identify you and hold you accountable.”

Krynsky asked that people and residents in the area keep an eye out for the suspects before discovering Jesse's body. He then stated:

“We want to put it on everybody’s radar to please keep an eye out for these individuals, and also for Jesse… We don’t suggest that you approach these individuals. Just give us whatever information you have, so detectives can work on those leads, and hopefully be able to bring Jesse home safe and hold these individuals responsible for what they did.”

One of the residents in the locality claimed to have witnessed the horrific incident that took place on December 19. He also informed the authorities that he had heard gunshots that night. The resident who wanted to stay anonymous mentioned,

“I was awake around two-ish, talking to my friends on the phone. And then, I hear gunshots.”

Neighbors were hopeful about Jesse’s safe return. Another resident, who wanted to remain anonymous, said that they went to school together. The area resident recalled the incident and said,

“It’s c*azy because I went to school with him last year. It was c*azy that it was one of my neighbors and it was around my neighborhood. I would never have thought that something like that would happen out here.”

The armed home invasion and the alleged murder of Jesse Sainz Camacho are being investigated by the Phoenix Police Homicide Unit.

Police are urging anybody with information about the suspects to come up and reach out to them. According to authorities, people can opt to provide anonymous tips to Silent Witness in case they know anything that can help the case. A reward of up to $1,000 has also been declared by Silent Witness.