AMBER LEANN HESS - MISSING IN ARIZONA

**UPDATE** 10:11PM EST

Sheriff: Body may be linked to missing girl

FLORENCE, Ariz. -- Authorities said Monday that they had discovered a burned body that they believed was connected to the case of Amber Hess, a 17-year-old Queen Creek, Ariz. girl who went missing over the weekend.

Police had not yet confirmed whether the body was Hess', said Jerald Monahan, Chief Deputy for the Pinal County Sheriff. But he said that undisclosed items at the scene indicated to authorities that the body was connected to the case.

The body was found by a Sheriff's deputy near Pinal County's Anthem development near Hunt Highway, Monahan said.

Hess was reported missing after her parents returned from a trip to Mexico and discovered a gun missing and blood in their home in Queen Creek, authorities said.

She was last seen on Friday.

Police have since been searching for Hess' missing white Mitsubishi Lancer.

"We certainly are still looking for the vehicle and any hope that Amber Hess is still out there," Monahan said.

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COPS SUSPECT FOUL-PLAY IN DISAPPEARANCE OF MISSING ARIZONA TEEN
Monday, June 25, 2007
AP

AMBER HESS

QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. — A 17-year-old Queen Creek girl is missing, and authorities in Arizona suspect foul play.

Pinal County sheriff's spokeswoman Bernadette Petros said the parents of Amber LeAnn Hess had been gone for the weekend and when they returned home last evening they found Amber was gone, along with her car.

They also found blood in the home and reported that a handgun was missing.Petros says Amber was last seen Friday at about 2 p.m.

Amber is described as being white, 5'2", 145 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. She has double piercings in both ears, as well as a bellybutton piercing. She was last seen wearing blue shorts and a white tank top.

Her missing car is a white 2002 four-door Mitsubishi Lancer with Arizona license plate 329-RJN. It has a Playboy or similar insignia on the rear window.

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**Contact Pinal County Sheriff's Department at 800-352-3796**