Two Alaska teenagers, described as inseparable sweethearts, were discovered dead in a wooded area just hours after their families reported them missing. The community is now grappling with shock and heartbreak over the sudden loss.
Leotis Phillips and Zoey Clark, both 16, were found with fatal gunshot wounds near Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School in Juneau on Monday afternoon, according to the Juneau Police Department. A firearm was recovered at the scene.
Phillips was reported missing from his home around 5:52 a. m. , and Clark was reported missing from hers at 8:49 a.
m. Authorities had earlier warned the pair might be carrying a gun, but it remains unclear how the teens obtained the weapon.
Their bodies have been sent to Anchorage for autopsy by the Alaska State Medical Examiner’s Office. Officials have not yet officially ruled on the cause or manner of death, but loved ones have described the incident as a double suicide.
A candlelight vigil was held at the school, where friends and family remembered the teens as deeply in love and devoted to each other. “The happiest I saw him was with her,” said Clark’s cousin, Ariah Clark. “I believe they both were hurting, and that their last moments were peaceful.”
Clark’s father, Zac Clark, fought back tears, saying, “My life is never going to be complete anymore. Parents just need to love their kids harder and stronger.” He also pleaded for answers, asking, “If any forensics can say what happened, what truly happened.”
A GoFundMe page for Clark described her as “smart, loving, and genuinely kind-hearted,” noting her passion for art and her difficult upbringing. Phillips’ grandmother, Bobbiebo Johnson, posted a heartbreaking tribute on Facebook, writing, “In a million years I never thought id be writing my oldest handsome grandson Leo obituary… it’s wrong… someone else should be writing mine.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988 (the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline).
What could have driven two young lives to such a tragic end?
