Missing Arizona teen found dead in southern Oregon
Aug 26, 2013, 9:57 AM | Updated: 10:06 pm
The body of an Arizona teenager, last seen visiting a friend in Lynnwood, Wash. was discovered Monday evening in southern Oregon near where his vehicle was found abandoned last week in a wooded area, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Johnathan Croom’s father, David, says his son was “a young man who had a broken heart.”
In a telephone interview Monday night, David Croom said his 18-year-old son was grieving the end of a recent relationship and “headed out to try to find himself.”
The elder Croom thanked everyone who helped search for his son and added, “Please pray for our family.”
Douglas County sheriff’s spokesman Dwes Hutson says the death is being investigated as a suicide, but he provided no additional information.
Croom was in Lynnwood visiting a friend before he was scheduled to return to Arizona to begin classes Monday at Mesa Community College.
His father had said his son was fascinated with the true story “Into the Wild,” about a man who ventured into the Alaska wilderness. He said his son watched the video of the wilderness adventure story about once a month.
The Associated Press and KIRO Radio’s Tim Haeck contributed to this report.
