In the quiet community of Littlefield, Arizona, the story of Jerry McFalls, a 62-year-old man, and his wife Susan, also 62, unfolded into a grim mystery that would take years to solve. The couple, who also had a home in West Jordan, Utah, were last heard from on January 11, 2018. Their family grew concerned when they failed to make their expected trip back to Utah.
A wellness check at their Littlefield residence revealed a disquieting scene: the home was unlocked, and personal belongings such as phones, wallets, medications, and even their pets were left behind. Their vehicles were also at the property, suggesting they hadn't planned to go far.
The initial disappearance launched an extensive search and a prolonged period of uncertainty for the McFalls family. It wasn't until October 15, 2018, that a significant breakthrough occurred. Two sets of human remains were discovered in a shallow grave in a desert area near the Virgin River Gorge. Just days later, on October 18, 2018, one set of remains was positively identified as Susan McFalls. However, it would take over a year, until January 30, 2020, for the second set of remains to be confirmed as Jerry McFalls through DNA analysis. The discovery of their bodies confirmed the family's worst fears and shifted the investigation from a missing persons case to a homicide.
For a long time, the case remained cold, with no publicly named suspects. However, the investigation eventually uncovered a story of a neighborhood dispute that had turned deadly. A witness came forward and identified a neighbor, 57-year-old Kenneth Gene Snyder, as the person responsible for the couple's deaths. According to the witness, Jerry McFalls had gone to Snyder's residence, where a verbal altercation ensued. The argument escalated tragically, with Snyder shooting and killing both Jerry and Susan. Snyder then removed their bodies from his property and buried them in the desert.
Despite identifying the suspect, there would be no arrest in the murders of Jerry and Susan McFalls. In a strange twist of fate, on June 1, 2023, Kenneth Gene Snyder was shot and killed during a domestic violence incident at his own property. With the sole suspect in the McFalls' murders deceased, the Mohave County Sheriff's Office could not make an arrest, and the case was brought to a close. The resolution brought a sense of bittersweet closure to the McFalls family, who had endured years of not knowing what had happened to their loved ones.
