Family and community members gathered at a memorial in Mesa to mark what would have been Emily Pike’s 16th birthday and to press lawmakers to strengthen the state’s Turquoise Alert system. The group used the anniversary as a public reminder of the unsolved death of the San Carlos Apache teenager and to urge passage of Senate Bill 1740, legislation they say would expand and better implement the alert established in her name.
A memorial poster and handmade banner for Emily Pike mark what would have been her 16th birthday at a Mesa memorial, as family and advocates push lawmakers to expand Arizona's Turquoise Alert system.
Emily Pike was found dead near U.S. 60 outside Globe in February 2025 after she was last seen walking away from a Mesa group home approximately a month earlier. Authorities described the discovery of her remains as a homicide; her death remains unsolved and there have been no arrests. The circumstances surrounding her disappearance and the discovery of her body prompted renewed public attention about how missing persons cases, particularly involving Indigenous youth, are handled in the state.
At the memorial, advocates and family allies emphasized that the gathering was both a commemoration and a campaign event aimed at lawmakers. Jared Marquez, an advocate with the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People movement who is close to Pike’s family, told the crowd, "She is not alone. She is not alone in all of this. How it all came about, unite as a nation, you know, united all nations, you know, and not just Native Americans, but, you know, people from all across the world, you know, say her name." Marquez also reflected on the loss more personally, saying, "This young girl had a life, had love, and it was cut short."
Pike’s death led to the creation of what supporters call "Emily’s Law," and to the establishment of the Turquoise Alert as a mechanism intended to fill the space between a standard missing persons report and the more narrowly defined Amber Alert. Advocates say the alert has potential to be a critical tool in finding missing people but remains underused because of restrictive eligibility criteria and inconsistent training for law enforcement officers tasked with implementing it. "It's hard because this young woman would have never met any of the criteria that would have gotten her alert, you know, but then there's multiple failures on many levels," Marquez said, summarizing the concerns of those pushing for reform.
Senate Bill 1740, which supporters brought to the attention of lawmakers at the gathering, would amend Emily’s Law to require more comprehensive training and resources for law enforcement agencies across Arizona. Backers say the measure is designed to improve how officers respond to missing persons reports, making sure personnel recognize when a Turquoise Alert is appropriate and understand the steps required to issue one. Advocates contend that training and consistent procedures are essential to ensuring the alert functions as intended and reaches the public and partner agencies in a timely manner.
Earlier this year, lawmakers approved Senate Bill 1125, a separate bipartisan measure that was enacted to address communication breakdowns highlighted in Emily Pike’s case. That legislation was crafted to close information gaps between state child welfare authorities and tribal governments, requiring the Department of Child Safety and tribal entities to share information and coordinate more effectively when children and youth go missing. Supporters say the new law tackles a narrow but consequential set of problems, but they maintain further changes are still needed to shore up the alert system and on-the-ground responses.
Community members and advocacy groups are also working to keep attention on the investigation through public actions and incentives for information. A reward totaling $200,000 remains available for information that leads to the resolution of the case. Earlier commemorations have included candlelight vigils and gatherings at the location where Pike was last seen alive, with supporters saying sustained public visibility may prompt new tips and keep pressure on authorities to continue pursuing leads.
Organizers at the Mesa memorial emphasized that their efforts combine remembrance with concrete policy demands. "Until justice is served, we want the world to know that this girl's love. So today we come to celebrate her birthday," Marquez said, underscoring the dual aims of honoring Pike’s life and pushing for legal changes supporters believe will prevent similar lapses in future missing persons cases. Emily Pike’s murder remains unsolved and no arrests have been made.