MOHAVE COUNTY, Ariz., Jan. 30, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday afternoon that a set of human remains found in the desert near the Virgin River Gorge has been identified as missing Utah man Jerry McFalls Sr.
The set of remains found in the Arizona Strip area was one of two found in October 2018. The first set was identified in November 2018 as Jerry McFalls Sr.’s wife, Susan McFalls.
A news release on Facebook early Thursday afternoon from the Sheriff’s Office said: “The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating a case of two sets of human remains found in the desert near the Virgin River Gorge in the Arizona Strip area. On Oct. 18, 2018, dispatch received a call of human remains found, and Mohave County Sheriff’s Office Detectives responded to the area.
“One set of the human remains was previously identified as Susan Marie McFalls, 62, of Littlefield, Arizona. The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office was notified by the Mohave County Medical Examiner’s Office that the second set of human remains has been positively identified through DNA analysis as belonging to Jerry David McFalls Sr., 62 of Littlefield, Arizona. Next of kin notifications have been made. This investigation is ongoing.”
On a Facebook page dedicated to the couple, their son, Jerry McFalls Jr., and daughter-in-law, Meridee McFalls, posted this message: “Finally a long awaited answer came today in the positive identification of dad, Jerry McFalls. It is weird we have waited for this day for so long and now it’s here and the absolute mixed feelings of happy and sad at the same time. It is definitely a step forward in the right direction. At this point that is the only information we have is that dad has been identified and the investigation is still continuing.
“At this time please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers and for the continuation to seek justice for Jerry and Susan. Thank you to so many who helped us get to this point your thoughts and prayers definitely helped. We will keep you posted when the memorial arrangements are made. We will not be answering any more questions at this time as we do not have any more information that can be released.”
Jerry McFalls Sr. and his wife Susan McFalls, both 62, were last heard from Jan. 11, 2018, according to a previous news release on Facebook from the Sheriff’s Office.
Family members stated the McFalls were due to travel back to Utah to take care of some business after being in Arizona for Christmas. They had homes both in Littlefield and in West Jordan. Littlefield is close to the border of Arizona, and 10 miles away from Mesquite, Nevada.
The Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating the pair’s disappearance, listing both individuals on a BOLO (Be on the Lookout For) poster as having disappeared under “suspicious circumstances.” The couple was also entered into the FBI’s National Crime Information Center’s missing and endangered database.
Mohave County Sheriff’s detectives conducted a search of the McFalls’ Littlefield residence in January 2018, looking for any information that would lead them to the whereabouts of the couple, the news release said. Sheriff’s detectives used search dogs from Washington County Search and Rescue, as well as numerous volunteers to search the area around the residence.
“Both phones belonging to the victims, as well as guns, money, medications, identifications and family pets, were found inside the residence,” the news release said. “The couple’s vehicles and keys were found at the residence and there were no obvious signs of foul play.”
Due to the heavy rains in the area, no obvious evidence was located on the exterior of the property, the news release added. A canvass of the area was conducted by the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office and no further information was developed.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office detective division at 800-522-4312.
