PHOENIX — A new police report details the investigation in the days and months following the murder of 29-year-old Lauren Heike.
It reveals messages, internet searches, and emails found by investigators through search warrants. The report also describes images that were allegedly accessed by Zion Teasley's phone in the days following Heike's death and the police interview with the now 24-year-old suspect.
Heike's murder
A neighbor called police in April 2023 after finding Heike stabbed more than a dozen times off a popular north Phoenix hiking trail called Reach 11.
The nearly 400-page new report details the calls Heike's loved ones made to the police. It also includes messages and interviews with the person who may have been considered the investigators' first person of interest.
"We were friends, went on dates and stuff," said Carlos Anderson in an interview with ABC15 in 2023. "And honestly, just enjoyed each other's company."
ABC15 spoke with Anderson just months after Heike’s death. He had been dating Heike in the months before her murder and cooperated with police. The report said Anderson even agreed to take a polygraph test.
Eventually, he was ruled out as a suspect, with his employer confirming he was at work when the murder took place.
Arrest and investigation into Teasley
It was DNA from Heike's shoe that was found at the scene, which ultimately pointed police to suspect Zion Teasley. Teasley came up as a match in a criminal database after already serving time behind bars.
Tealsey was arrested just days after Heike’s death and charged with murder.
The police report details the surveillance and the interviews they conducted. Officers learned from Teasley's probation officer that plane tickets were purchased for a family funeral out of state. Police made an arrest before the trip.
But Wednesday's new report showed a struggle with Teasley's sexuality and gender identity. This is apparent through messages, internet searches, and journal entries.
"I have been battling with my gender identity and sexuality. I am Christian, so this isn’t allowed. I want to live a life of serving god, but how can I with these and other sins in the way. Ik I am forgiven for my sins. But it’s still a lot of pressure and it’s hard to maintain a good Christian mindset 24/7.”
Police note another screenshot which implies that Teasley may have been depressed, reading, "when I see a beautiful woman and I’m a man”.
A few hours after Heike's death, police reportedly found a computer in Teasley's home that was used to visit news websites and a wikihow page on avoiding being "jumped."
The report also said that when looking through images on Teasley's phone, they found photos from Heike's social media accessed days after her death. The report also said investigators found images of Teasley in an outfit they say was similar to what Heike was wearing when she was killed. Those images of Teasley appeared to have been accessed or "modified" the day he was arrested.
The report goes in-depth on what Teasley told police during their interview. At one point, when shown surveillance video of the "suspect" released by police, Teasley allegedly said, "That's me. I think is it? I don't know."
Teasley told investigators he knew Heike from the news, but, at one point, allegedly said, "That's what I would want to look like."
According to the report, when Teasley was asked by investigators if they planned Heike's murder, they responded, “I’m telling you, if I was gonna do something like that, it definitely wouldn’t be premeditated.”
During the interview, officers noted seeing scratches on Teasley.
Relationship with Phoenix patrol officer
Phoenix police also detail messages and an alleged relationship between Teasley and a Phoenix patrol officer. The report said the two exchanged a “large amount” of messages until the day Teasley was arrested.
An extraction of the officer's phone showed he allegedly tried to search "Lauren Heike", "Zion", and "Teasley" the day after an arrest was made in the case.
"[Redacted officer's name] then admitted he learned of Zion's arrest on 05-04-2023 (date of actual arrest). [Redacted] confirmed this was the reason he and Zion stopped texting. Soon after, [redacted] spoke with his squad mates and informed them an arrest was made on the 'Lauren Heike' investigation. [Redacted] and his squadmates discussed the public comments made under Zion's arrest video. [Redacted] did not feel it necessary to tell his supervisor or squad mates of his relationship with Zion."
ABC15 has followed up with Phoenix police regarding other details found in an interview with the officer and messages in the report.
Teasley's trial date pushed back
Heike's parents were back in court this week, speaking out against Teasley's request to push the trial date back three years. The Judge ultimately moved the date from October 2025 to January 2027.
Watch ABC15's coverage of Teasley's trial date being pushed in the player above.
In court, Teasley's new attorney referred to her client as "her" while asking for assistance with a health concern. ABC15 did try to speak with Teasley's attorneys after court, but they would only say "no, thank you."
Teasley has pleaded not guilty but has been charged in two other separate felony cases.
The new report notes in multiple places that police hadn’t found any communication between Heike and Teasley prior to her death.
We have followed up with Phoenix police, but at last check, ABC15 was told investigators believed the attack was "random".
