Johnathan Croom, Missing Apache Junction Teenager, Found Dead in Oregon

An 18-year-old from Apache Junction who's been missing since last week was found dead in southern Oregon yesterday.The Douglas County, Oregon Sheriff's Office says Johnathan Croom's death appears to be a suicide...

By Matthew Hendley

August 27, 2013

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "18478561",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "16759093",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759092",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759094",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        }
      ]

An 18-year-old from Apache Junction who's been missing since last week was found dead in southern Oregon yesterday.

The Douglas County, Oregon Sheriff's Office says Johnathan Croom's death appears to be a suicide.

"His body was located about 1000 feet from where the vehicle was abandoned in a wooded area," Sheriff's spokesman Dwes Hutson writes.

Many recent media reports seemed to obsess over Croom's fascination with the movie Into the Wild, about a guy who decides to live in the wild, naturally.

Croom's body was found in Riddle, Oregon, a small town within a mile or two of Interstate 5.

View Larger Map

Croom was visiting a friend in Seattle, but was supposed to be back in the Valley last week to start college in Mesa.

Send feedback and tips to the author.
Follow Matthew Hendley on Twitter at @MatthewHendley.

Become A Member

BEFORE YOU GO...
Can you help us continue to share our stories? Since the beginning, Phoenix New Times has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix — and we'd like to keep it that way. Our members allow us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls.