SURPRISE, AZ — Authorities have identified a body that was discovered in a Surprise area landfill on Thursday, April 17.
According to the Surprise Police Department, just before 7 a.m., an employee at the landfill near 195th Avenue and Deer Valley Road located what appeared to be a body.
The employee contacted authorities, who arrived at the scene and began the investigation.
On May 1, the Surprise Police Department identified the body as 23-year-old Raquel Marie Morales of Surprise.
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office is still working to determine the cause of death.
(UPDATE) Police investigating discovery of human remains at local landfill
— Surprise Police Dept (@Surprise_PD) April 22, 2025
The remains have been identified and belong to a Phoenix woman. Our investigators will not release her identity until the proper notifications have been made.
PREVIOUSLY RELEASED INFORMATION
Surprise,… pic.twitter.com/u1SKQ2SZUf
No further details have been released.
If anyone has information that may help identify the body, they are asked to contact the Surprise police at 623-222-8477 or email crimetips@surpriseaz.gov, concerning incident number 250403983.
