Arizona Backyard Burial Sparks Manhunt for Son

An Arizona backyard burial has triggered an international manhunt after police found two bodies hidden behind a Litchfield Park home and named 27-year-old Matthew Flores as a suspect in the deaths of his parents.

Officials said Friday that investigators recovered the bodies from the backyard after the family disappeared under suspicious circumstances. Avondale Police Officer Daniel Benavidez said officers also found large amounts of blood inside the home and signs that someone tried to clean up the scene, which investigators view as evidence of foul play. A mini excavator was needed to remove the bodies, and Benavidez said the remains were in a state of decomposition.

The search has now expanded beyond Arizona. Police said the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service are helping look for Flores, and investigators believe he has fled the country. The case began as a missing persons investigation before turning into a homicide probe after the bodies were found. Authorities have not said where they think Flores may be now, but they are treating the case as an international search.

Flores’ mother and father were identified as the two people found dead. Their disappearance had raised concern before the discovery in the backyard, and the condition of the scene pushed investigators to focus on what happened inside the home as well as outside it. The use of heavy equipment underscores how difficult the recovery effort was and how long the bodies had remained hidden.