A woman who had been reported missing from the Salt River-Pima Maricopa Indian Community has been identified as the person found dead in a Scottsdale canal Saturday morning, authorities confirmed Sunday.
Scottsdale police identified the victim as 28-year-old Passion Schurz, using her distinctive tattoos, physical characteristics and clothing description to make the initial identification. Dental records will be used to provide formal confirmation as soon as they become available.
Officers first responded to the area of Indian Bend and Hayden roads after receiving reports of a body in the canal. Scottsdale police and fire personnel coordinated with the Salt River Project and Central Arizona Project to recover Schurz from the water. Detectives and crime scene specialists then took over the scene.
Investigators noted that Schurz showed no signs of fractures, stab wounds or gunshot wounds. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office is working to establish an official cause of death, a process that could take several weeks.
Crisis counselors from the Scottsdale Police Department and resources from the Salt River Police Department are currently supporting Schurz’s family during the investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Scottsdale police at 480-312-5000.
