ID of human remains in Litchfield Park homicide probe await autopsy

By Dan McCarthy
Mail

The Avondale Police Department on Friday afternoon updated a Litchfield Park homicide investigation as the search continues for a 27-year-old man who is considered a suspect in the case that involves human remains found buried in the backyard of a home, authorities said.

Originally being investigated as a missing persons case, Avondale police said the department is investigating a homicide and is searching for Matthew Flores as the suspect.

Police had been investigating the case since Tuesday when they conducted a welfare check at the home near Indian School Road and Wigwam Boulevard, searching for three family members – Flores and his parents.

Authorities said Thursday that blood was found inside the home during that and human remains were uncovered in the yard.

Flores fled the country, police said.

The investigation continued Friday and police provided updates:

• At the family’s request, the identity of the husband and wife living in the home have not been identified.
• An autopsy is being conducted on the remains. It is unknown how long they were buried.
• The US Marshals Service and FBI are assisting local authorities.
• The suspect lived in the home with the wife and husband.
• Three vehicles believed to be connected investigation have been processed for evidence.

Anyone with information on Flores' whereabouts is asked to contact the Avondale Police Department at 623-333-7001 or Silent Witness.

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Dan McCarthy
Web content

dmccarthy@iniusa.org

Meet Dan
Dan McCarthy joined Independent Newsmedia as web content editor after a 40-plus year career as a reporter and editor in New Jersey and Arizona. During his time in Arizona, he has been an editor of daily and weekly papers in Tempe, Scottsdale, Chandler, Ahwatukee, Sun City, Sun City West, Surprise, Peoria and Glendale. Prior to moving to Arizona in 1984, when he was hired to be assistant city editor at the Tempe Daily News, he covered regional police/fire news, municipal, county and state governments in New Jersey, the latter as bureau chief at the state Capitol.

Community: He has served on several boards over the years, including the Tempe Community Action Agency and the Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital Board of Governors. He is a graduate of the Tempe Leadership and Scottsdale Leadership programs, serving as media adviser for subsequent classes of Tempe Leadership.

Education: Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism. 

Random Fact: Set winter/summer track records in the 60-, 100- and 220-yard dashes at his high school in New Jersey. 

Hobbies: Tai chi, cooking, dining at his must-eat-once places around the U.S. and the Cincinnati Reds, his favorite team since 1961.