Overview

• Thomas Brown, 31, was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the May deaths of Arcadia High School students Pandora Kjolsrud, 18, and Evan Clark, 17, near Mount Ord in Tonto National Forest.
• Prosecutors say Brown’s DNA was found inside the victims’ vehicle and on gloves that had the victims’ blood, evidence highlighted during his initial court appearance.
• At a Friday briefing, the sheriff’s office said the teens were shot multiple times and their bodies were moved into brush, and officials reported no known prior connection between Brown and the victims.
• Court records state Brown contacted investigators through a tip line offering drone footage and denied physical interaction with the teens, while other campers reported encountering a man they described as acting strangely and driving a blue Kia Rio.
• Scene evidence documented by deputies included a bloody pillowcase in the SUV, shell casings, drag marks from a campsite and the bodies found roughly 1.5 miles from the vehicle; Brown’s defense notes he is a military veteran with no prior criminal record as the case proceeds to an Oct. 8 hearing.