Arizona Restaurant Owner Dismembered Teen Who Was Visiting State After Graduation, DA Says

Anthonie Ruinard Jr. is a Tucson restaurant owner who is accused in the Maricopa County, Arizona, murder of recent high school graduate Parker League, 18, who had traveled to the state from Nebraska.

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell “has announced the indictment of Anthonie Ruinard Jr.* (09/85) for second-degree murder, a Class One Felony, and one count of abandonment or concealment of a dead body, a Class Five Felony,” a news release said. You can read the indictment here.

His brother, Hunter League, told ABC15 that 18-year-old Parker League, who was found dead in June 2023, came to Arizona to “visit friends” after graduating from high school in Nebraska. He was reported missing to Tempe, Arizona, police, ABC15 reported.

“It’s hard to accept because he was the nicest kid,” his brother told the station.

The motive is not clear.

Here’s what you need to know:

Parker League’s Body Was Found in a Debris Burn Pile in the Tonto National Forest, the County Attorney Says

On June 12, 2023, Parker League’s body “was found deceased in a debris burn pile in an area known as ‘The Pit’ in the Tonto National Forest,” Mitchell’s press release says. “The victim had been dismembered, stabbed, and burned beyond recognition. The Office of the Medical Examiner used dental records to identify the victim.”

In October 2023, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office “submitted a case on Ruinard Jr. for review by the Maricopa County Attorney’s office,” the release says.

“Experienced homicide prosecutors in my office combed through nearly 4,000 pages of material submitted in this homicide case. After five months of careful review, we were able to secure this indictment,” said Mitchell, in the news release. “This is the next step in bringing justice to Parker League and his family.”

“The trial date for this case is currently set for July 2024,” she wrote.

According to AZ Family, League’s body was found with his “head and hands cut off.”

Anthonie Ruinard & Parker League Left a Phoenix Club Together Before the Murder, Reports Say

AZ Family reported that Ruinard and League “left a Phoenix club together and went to a gas station.” League wasn’t seen alive again. “The teen’s blood was also found in Ruinards car,” AZ Family reported.

According to AZ Family, Ruinard has a lengthy, but old, criminal history, that includes “an armed robbery, theft, a bomb threat to a school, and leaving his dog in the backyard to die.”

“He has a slew of LLCs and recently owned a popular restaurant in Tucson, Pastiche,” the site reported, quoting a former server at the restaurant as saying, “I worked there in, like, January, and there were people who still hadn’t gotten paid from Thanksgiving or November.”

Detectives Say Anthonie Ruinard Left an Arco Gas Station in Chandler, Arizona, Together Before the Murder

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department announced the arrest of Ruinard in July 2023, but it took until March 2024 for charges to result.

“Detectives were able to obtain video footage from multiple locations where Parker’s bank card was being used after he was discovered deceased,” the release says.

“Video footage from an Arco gas station in Chandler, AZ on June 11th showed Parker and the suspect, Anthonie leaving the store together in a black Dodge Challenger. This was the last time detectives had Parker on video alive,” it says.

“Detectives served a search warrant on Anthonie’s house and sized multiple items. While processing the Dodge Challenger, detectives located forensic evidence in the trunk, which was tested using a Rapid DNA resulting in a positive match for Parker’s DNA,” the release says.

“Due to this and additional evidence collected, detectives arrested and booked Anthonie Ruinard on 1 count of first-degree murder, 2 count Narcotic drug possession for sale, 1 count drug possession equipment for manufacturing, 1 count Narcotic drug-manufacture, 2 count possession weapon by a prohibited person, 1 count theft credit card, 1 count fraudulent use of credit card, 1 count abandonment/conceal dead body/parts,” the release notes.

Fox10 reported that, according to a missing person’s report for League, the teen “had started using cocaine” before he disappeared. Ruinard told police he had used cocaine and marijuana before meeting up with League, which might have “blurred” his memory, AZ Family reported.

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