Arizona woman found dead, authorities arrest son

(NBC, KYMA/KECY) - Arizona officials say an 18-year-old killed his mother and tried to report her as kidnapped to cover up her death.

James Richey goes running in a field near Hunt Highway and Bella Vista road almost every morning when he noticed a body lying out in the open.

When he got closer, that's when he noticed what was next to the body.

"Saw a knife broken pieces, blood on it. And then that's when it, like, instantly clicked, like, this is a crime scene," Richey shared.

Richey immediately called 911 with Pinal County Sheriff's deputies arriving just a few minutes later.

Lieutenant Ross Teeple says they were working on identifying the woman when they got another 911 call from a nearby neighborhood, with an 18-year-old telling law enforcement his mom was kidnapped.

"Once they arrived on scene, they quickly determined that the two calls were related," Teeple explained.

Looking at the mom's ID card, it matched the body. Through further investigation they discovered there was no kidnapping, believing the teen killed his own mother, 38-year-old Mary Collier, saying it's possible the 18-year-old reported the kidnapping as a way to cover his tracks.

"We don't have any evidence to show that there was an actual kidnapping...it indicates they walked out together both of consent and then once out there, she was attacked and then just left in the desert," Teeple added.

Now, the teen son, who has not been identified, is facing possible charges of first degree murder.

"I just don't know how someone could be so mad and angry that that their first thought is to go and just like...kill somebody. Let alone your mother," Richey expressed.