Sheriff’s Deputies investigate murder of Flagstaff Man

FLAGSTAFF – Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies and Detectives are investigating the murder of 56 year-old David Allen Christine of Flagstaff, AZ. Mr. Christine’s body was located by a passing motorist near Star School located on Leupp Road.

On Wednesday, May 21, 2014 at about 5:30 a.m. the Flagstaff Police Department/Coconino County Sheriff’s 911 Dispatch Center received a call from a motorist who was traveling on Leupp Road (Forrest Service 505). According to the reporting party, he was in the area located just east of Star School when he observed what he believed to be a body off of the roadway in the dirt.

Deputies arrived to find a Guardian Medical Transport team was already on scene. The subject was found to be deceased. During the initial investigation a detective who was at the scene observed indications of foul play. After the scene was processed and photographed, the victim was transported to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office in Flagstaff.

There were no forms of identification on the victim, and detectives received information causing them to believe the individual frequented several homeless shelters in Flagstaff. Investigators interviewed multiple clients of several homeless centers in Flagstaff in an attempt to identify the victim but met with no results.

Fingerprints were taken from the deceased and with the assistance of the United States Marshals Office the prints were submitted to a federal forensic laboratory that provides results in a short period of time. The results of the fingerprint analysis identified the body to be that of 56 year-old David Allen Christine of Flagstaff. Subsequently Flagstaff Police Officers located a white Plymouth mini-van registered to the victim parked outside a local motel.

The victim is described as a white male, 56 years of age, 5’11” in height, weighing approximately 135 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was wearing black Levi pants, black shoes, a beige
t-shirt, and a blue Columbia polar fleece jacket.

Manner of death will be determined during the examination conducted by the Medical Examiner’s Office.