Two Juneau Teens Found Dead in Woods After Disappearing from Home
Police discovered the bodies of 16-year-old Leotis Phillips and Zoey Clark in a Juneau forest, concluding they died from gunshot wounds in an apparent double suicide.
On Monday morning, Juneau Police received reports that 16-year-olds Leotis Phillips and Zoey Clark had vanished from their homes, with Phillips missing at 5:52 a.m. and Clark at 8:49 a.m. Later that afternoon, officers found both teens in a wooded area close to Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School, each with fatal gunshot wounds and a gun lying nearby. Authorities have forwarded the bodies to the Alaska State Medical Examiner’s Office in Anchorage for further examination, while still determining the official cause and manner of death.
Relatives gathered for a candlelight vigil on the school campus, recalling the couple’s deep affection and noting signs of emotional distress. A GoFundMe page highlighted Clark’s artistic talents and the family’s grief, and a Facebook post expressed the profound sorrow of Phillips’s grandmother.
Why it matters
The deaths highlight teen mental-health challenges and raise concerns about firearm access among minors.
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