NEW INFORMATION
ST. JOHNS, AZ -- The Pima County Medical Examiner’s Office has released the autopsy report for a 16-year-old boy found murdered in Northern Arizona.
In August, the Apache County Sheriff’s Office and Apache County Attorney investigators found the body of Ricky Flores “burned and decomposed partial remains” in a shallow grave in a remote area of Greenlee County.
Four people were later arrested in connection with the St. Johns boy’s disappearance and murder.
One of the people arrested, William Inmon, later confessed to being a serial killer and admitted to killing Flores and at least two other people.
The autopsy report released Monday shows Flores suffered a shotgun wound to the head and that there were tool marks on his skeleton.
The report added that “the external genitalia are absent,” but does not indicate if this is from decomposition, the body having been burned, or some other reason.
When the medical examiner received Flores’ body it was wrapped in a “fabric sleeping bag and a piece of nylon fabric with attached mesh.”
The report also indicated that, “accompanying the body within the body bag are numerous straps, buckles, and pieces of metal.”
Flores' head was so badly disrupted that fragments of his skull and some brain tissue were given to the medical examiner in a separate biohazard bag.
The report said a shotgun was fired near Flores’ left ear.
The medical examiner found several tool marks around the shoulder blade area.
A toxicology screen showed Flores tested positive for Cannabinoids and Ethanol.
Authorities have been investigating the incident since August.
Officials said 21-year-old Inmon transported Flores' body to the home of Jeffrey Johnson, 43, to "show Jeff that the job was done," according to a statement of probable cause filed in Apache County Superior Court.
Flores was dating Johnson's daughter, and the relationship had been a source of conflict between Flores and the girl's family, said Apache County Sheriff's Sgt. Richard Guinn. The teenagers had a child together nearly a year ago.
Investigators haven't released a motive in the case but are "looking at everything," Apache County Attorney Michael Whiting said.
Four people are charged in the case, and three have already appeared in court: Johnson, Inmon and Inmon's girlfriend, Storm Williams, 44.
Inmon and Williams face first-degree murder charges; Johnson is charged with conspiracy and solicitation to commit murder; and Johnson's wife, 37-year-old Melissa Johnson, is charged with hindering prosecution and giving false information to law enforcement.
The Johnsons are also from St. Johns, while Williams and Inmon live in nearby Springerville.
Marsha Gregory, an attorney for Jeffrey Johnson, declined to comment, saying she didn't want to try the case in the court of public opinion. Inmon's attorney, Albert Lassen, also has declined to comment.
Williams' attorney, Dirk Legate, said his client will plead not guilty and that he may file a motion to determine her competency because of a brain injury. An after-hours call to the office of Melissa Johnson's attorney, Emery La Barge, was not answered.
Whiting said Inmon and Flores had known each other for a couple of years, so it was no surprise to Flores' mother when Inmon showed up at their home the day before she reported her son missing on Aug. 14. Flores' mother said she received a text message later that day from her son saying he was with Inmon, but he didn't return home by his 8 p.m. curfew and hadn't taken any clothing or his cell phone charger.
She told police Inmon had a gun strapped to his hip.
Inmon initially told authorities that he and Williams dropped Flores in town that night after they went to the ranch of Inmon's father just east of St. Johns.
Authorities say Inmon and Williams later led them to a shallow grave and described how they killed Flores, burned his body and buried it in a wilderness area. Bone-like fragments, shell casings, bullets and tools were found in the vehicle they were in, court records said.
Inmon told police that Jeffrey Johnson offered to pay him to kill Flores, but authorities aren't sure if any money changed hands. Whiting said Johnson "had expressed to different people that he wanted Ricky Flores disposed of, killed."
"We think they had conversations to that effect," Whiting said.
Jeffrey Johnson and Inmon's father were acquaintances, and Inmon sometimes stopped by the tire shop where Jeffrey Johnson worked, Whiting said. The two also were known to be involved in drugs, Whiting alleged.
Johnson was arrested Aug. 31, and Williams and Inmon were arrested Aug. 28 -- a day before Flores' body was recovered. Melissa Johnson was arrested shortly after.
Whiting said Tuesday he wouldn't seek the death penalty against Jeffrey Johnson; he didn't say if he would seek the death penalty against any of the others.
Jeffrey Johnson and Inmon were being held without bond, while Williams was in custody on $500,000 bond. Melissa Johnson posted bond and was released.
In court proceedings, Inmon's mother, Dianna Inmon, stared lovingly at her only child, held prayer beads and cried. She said she hadn't seen her son in five years and heard about his arrest through her sister.
Dianna Inmon recalled the days when her son gave her a crown to wear and sang to her for special occasions. She laughed when remembering the time her son made her climb the tallest slide at McDonald's as her initiation into their "Silly Willy" club -- she was Silly, he was Willy, and they had two dogs named Nilly and Dilly.
"It put me on the floor," she said. "I was like, 'No, not my baby."'
