Zion Teasley pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the killing of Lauren Heike on a north Phoenix hiking trail, court records show. His sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 4.
Heike was found on April 28, 2023, on the Reach 11 trail near 64th Street and Mayo Boulevard. Court documents say she was chased and stabbed 15 times. Police arrested Teasley days later; investigators said DNA found on Heike’s shoe and cellphone location data helped link him to the killing.
The guilty plea is part of a deal through which Teasley is likely to avoid the death penalty. He has also pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor in a separate case. Sentencing in that case is scheduled for Dec. 4 as well.
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