Body Found Near Construction Site as Police Continue to Search for Missing Elderly Mandetail

Tempe, AZ - The Tempe Police Department is saddened to share that a body has been recovered from a construction site near N. McClintock and Weber Drives.

At this time, the individual has not been formally identified, and we cannot confirm their identity until the Medical Examiner completes the identification process.

This recovery follows several days of searching for missing community member, 91-year-old Apolonio Romero. The extensive, coordinated search efforts have involved the Tempe Police Department, Tempe Fire Department, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, Scottsdale Police Department, Salt River Police Department, along with volunteers, family members, and others who worked tirelessly in hopes of finding this beloved member of the Tempe community ever since he was reported missing on January 3rd. The investigation into Mr. Romero's disappearance remains active, and detectives continue to pursue all available leads.

We understand how deeply this ongoing search has affected the community, and we ask for continued patience and compassion as the identification process and investigation move forward.

We will provide updates as soon as confirmed information is available.