Mom goes missing after car breaks down, AZ cops say. Then she’s found dead by highway

A missing mom was found dead after a two-week search, Arizona officials said.

On May 22, Hope Tucker, 46, was with her son when their car broke down in Buckeye, McClatchy News reported.

On the same day, her son, who has “limited communication,” was admitted to a hospital for a month after police got reports of indecent exposure, police said.

Eventually, Tucker’s son told a relative his mom “passed away,” according to a July 8 Buckeye Police Department Facebook post.

Police were called on June 22 and the search for Tucker began, officials said.

The search consisted of dogs, drones, air support and ground support, police said.

On July 8, Tucker’s remains were found along with her dead dog in a steep area near Interstate 10, officials said.

Officers said there were no “obvious signs of trauma” and that the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine Tucker’s cause of death.

Buckeye is about a 40-mile drive southwest from Phoenix.

This story was originally published July 9, 2024 at 12:52 PM with the headline "Mom goes missing after car breaks down, AZ cops say. Then she’s found dead by highway."