Arizona Man Arrested on Murder Suspicion After Social Media Meetup Leads to Human Remains Found Near Lake Pleasant

GLENDALE, AZ — A 24-year-old Arizona man is facing murder charges after investigators found human remains in a remote desert area near Lake Pleasant, following the disappearance of a 21-year-old mother who vanished after meeting someone she knew from social media. Police say Dominic Scot-Glen Rodolico was arrested Saturday in the case of Arianna Bailey Jones, who had been reported missing earlier this month.

Jones was the mother of a 2-year-old boy. Family members told police they had not heard from her since July 5, and a relative reported her missing on July 7.

How the search unfolded

After Jones was reported missing, officers went to her apartment and found her dog locked in a kennel without food or water, suggesting it had been left alone for several days. A friend later told investigators that Jones had planned to meet an acquaintance for a movie on July 5.

Police say cell phone records and surveillance video helped identify Rodolico as the person with Jones that day. Glendale police also said the two had met on social media and were seeing each other in person for the first time.

Remains found in desert

Cadaver dogs led investigators to human remains in a shallow grave in the desert Saturday. Police believe the remains are Jones’, but officials have not yet confirmed the identification, and the cause of death has not been determined.

The discovery came near Lake Pleasant, a remote area north of the Phoenix metro. Investigators have not said whether the planned movie outing actually happened.

Suspect held on bond

Court documents say Rodolico was arrested while cleaning the back of his car and had a hand injury at the time. During questioning, he allegedly told detectives that two unknown men attacked him and Jones, stabbed her, and allowed him to escape.

Detectives say they believe Rodolico planned to kill Jones. He is being held on a $2 million bond while the case moves forward.

Family continues searching

Jones’s mother, Sophia Sardinas, spent a week handing out flyers and looking for her daughter after the disappearance. Sardinas said she wants the public to remember Jones for who she was, not only for the circumstances surrounding her death.

The family has also set up a GoFundMe as the investigation continues.

TNSO covers California, Nevada, and Arizona as the story unfolds.