Charred remains of Arizona man found

The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office says the charred remains found in an area just a couple miles south of the Coolidge Airport on Saturday is linked to missing Casa Grande, Arizona, man, Cody Virgin.

AZ Central reports that Virgin, 25, was reported missing on Monday, January 30, after he failed to show up for work at La Palma Correctional Center in Eloy. His “2013 Dodge Dart was found abandoned in a desert area near Silver Bell Estates, outside of Arizona City.”

Blood and a shovel were also found at the crime scene, as well as rake marks nearby.

Detectives say the night Virgin went missing, he made plans to meet up with a woman he met on Facebook in Arizona City, which prompted police officials to rummage through Virgin’s Facebook account.

According to Sheriff Mark Lamb, officers encountered a 26-year-old man named William Randolph, – also of Casa Grande – who agreed to come to the station for questioning.

There was “several inconsistencies with Randolph’s statements and he gave several different accounts of his whereabouts,” police said.

When a handgun was found at Randolph’s place of work, Pinal County police officers placed him under arrest.

Randolph was charged with “murder, hindering an investigation and concealing a human body in connection with Virgin’s death.”

In a Facebook video, Lamb stated that they were unable to immediately identify the charred remains as Virgin.

“However, there was a unique piece of jewelry that was recovered on the body, and also shoes. The family did identify that unique piece of jewelry and those shoes as items Cody Virgin did wear.”

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office at 520-866-5111.

[Featured Image: Facebook]