Police hunting for missing teens Leotis Phillips and Zoey Clark discovered both 16-year-olds dead beside a firearm

The Juneau Police Department has confirmed the deaths of two missing teenagers, 16-year-olds Leotis Phillips and Zoey Clark, whose bodies were found in a wooded area above the 6800 block of Glacier Highway in Alaska. As reported by LADbible, the discovery was made on August 31, 2026, at approximately 2:25 PM, just hours after both juveniles had been reported missing by their families.

According to the Juneau Police Department’s public safety announcement, a firearm was recovered at the scene, and preliminary information indicates both teenagers died from gunshot wounds. The department stated that next of kin have been notified and that the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths remains active.

Leotis Phillips was first reported missing from his residence on Kanata Street at approximately 5:52 AM, and Zoey Clark was reported missing from her home on Teal Street at 8:49 AM the same day. Police said they believed the two teens were together and might have been in possession of a firearm, prompting a public warning urging residents not to approach the juveniles and to instead call 911 if they were spotted.

The case now moves to the medical examiner for further review

The bodies of Leotis and Zoey have been sent to the Alaska State Medical Examiner’s Office in Anchorage for autopsy. The Juneau School District said it plans to provide counseling and support services to students and staff affected by the loss, while the police department said it has extended condolences to the families and friends of both teenagers.

The Juneau Police Department emphasized that all details released so far stem from a preliminary investigation and remain subject to change as the case develops. Anyone with information related to the circumstances leading up to the deaths is asked to contact the department at 907-586-0600 or submit a tip anonymously through the JuneauCrimeLine, and the timing of the case’s public release coincided with unrelated coverage of a Texas dorm room dispute that was trending separately online.

Police described Leotis as an Alaska Native male standing approximately 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing between 140 and 160 pounds, with long black hair often worn in a ponytail. Zoey was described as a white female standing approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing about 140 pounds, and photographs of both teens were shared on the department’s official Facebook page during the initial search, a period that overlapped with unrelated online attention toward a Starbucks customer service dispute making headlines the same week.

The Juneau Police Department said the investigation remains ongoing as authorities await the findings of the medical examiner’s office in Anchorage.

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