Autopsy confirms remains are missing Santa Clara man

Autopsy confirms remains are missing Santa Clara man

(Santa Clara-Ivins Police Department)


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LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. — Human remains found near the Utah-Arizona border have been confirmed to be those of missing Santa Clara resident David Heisler.

Medical examiners confirmed that a badly decomposed body found in the Mount Trumball area along the Arizona Strip by a Bureau of Land Management geologist is that of Heisler, who had been missing since June 27, the Mohave County Sheriff's Office announced Wednesday.

Heisler was identified through medical records. His cause of death remained undetermined, but the case is being treated as a "possible homicide," according to the sheriff's office.

Police believe Heisler was kidnapped from his home by his former girlfriend and the mother of his daughter, Kelley Marie Perry, 31, and her boyfriend, Francis Lee McCard, 55.

Perry and McCard, both of Washington, are charged with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated burglary, first-degree felonies, and theft, a second-degree felony.

The alleged kidnapping came a week after a judge awarded Heisler full custody of his 6-year-old daughter. Following the custody hearing, McCard was overheard telling Perry he would "fix" the custody issue, according to a search warrant.

Tammy Renee Freeman, 54, of Washington, allegedly drove Perry and McCard to Heisler's house. She faces the same charges as Perry and McCard.

Heisler's car was found abandoned on July 1 in Beaver Dam, Arizona. A bullet casing was found inside the car, as well as blood on the car's exterior.

Several searches were conducted by the Mohave County Sheriff's Office without success prior to the discovery of Heisler's remains on Aug. 18.

The Washington County Attorney's Office, Santa Clara Police Department, Mohave County Sheriff's Office and FBI are working jointly on the case.

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Pat Reavy

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