Phoenix police are trying to piece together the final hours of 24-year-old Jioenise Summerfield after her body was discovered along a west Phoenix roadway late Friday night. What began as a vague call about an object on the roadside has now become a full homicide investigation.
Officers were called just before 11 p.m. to Broadway Road, east of 59th Avenue. Someone passing by reported seeing something unusual along the side of the road. At first glance, it was not clear what it was.
When police arrived, they found an object wrapped in a large amount of material. The wrapping made it difficult to tell exactly what they were looking at. Officers secured the area and shut down part of the roadway as detectives moved in.
Investigators spent several hours carefully working the scene. As the night wore on, the truth became clear. The object was confirmed to be a human body.
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office later took custody of the remains. On Sunday, police identified the victim as Jioenise Summerfield. She was 24 years old.
Authorities say they believe her death was a homicide. No suspects have been named, and police have not released details about how she died. The case remains open as detectives continue to follow leads.
Police are now asking for the public’s help. Anyone with information about Summerfield’s death is urged to contact Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS (480-948-6377) or 480-TESTIGO. Tips can also be submitted anonymously online.
For now, questions hang heavily over that stretch of Broadway Road. Who left her there, and why? Investigators say every tip matters as they work to bring answers, and justice, to a young woman whose life ended far too soon.
