The body of an 88-year-old woman was found in her Mesa home, her car was found in Texas, and her 43-year-old grandson has yet to be found.
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office detectives haven't ruled the case a homicide -- yet, at least -- but it has been given "suspicious death investigation" status.
The sheriff's office says deputies went to Lola Pershall's Mesa home around 5:30 a.m. Wednesday to conduct a welfare check, where she was found dead, and her body in "stages of decomposition."
Detectives are still waiting for the medical examiner's report, and it's not yet clear to investigators whether it's a homicide.
Then there's the missing car and grandson.
Pershall's car was found in Houston, Texas, and right now, there's no explanation as to why her car was in Texas.
The sheriff's office says investigators are still trying to find out if there's a connection between the car and Pershall's death, and, you know, who stole it -- no suspects yet.
Then there's Pershall's grandson, Reginald Gardner Jr.
According to the sheriff's office, Gardner, 43, was living at Pershall's house.
As of right now, nobody knows where he is. A spokesman for the sheriff's office says no one's had contact with him for an "unknown amount of time."
Detectives are looking for Gardner, but only to "confirm his safety." The sheriff's office says he is not a suspect in the investigation into his grandmother's death.
He's described as being about 5-foot-10, 195 pounds, and is pictured in the photograph above, which appears to be a mugshot -- possibly from his 2006 arrest on suspicion of aggravated DUI, per court records.
The sheriff's office asks that you phone up Detective Acosta if you know anything about the case, or where Gardner is: 602-876-1011.
