Woman allegedly murdered by son in San Tan Valley. Niece claims she thought it was a ‘sick Halloween joke’

SAN TAN VALLEY, Arizona. – A family member of a woman who was allegedly murdered by her own son speaks out about the tragic experiences.

The body of 38-year-old Mary Collier was found on Wednesday morning in a field at ul San Tan Valley.

Authorities said the investigation included the son’s false kidnapping call.

The family is still struggling to cope.

It’s almost unheard of criminalitythe loss of a loved one, allegedly at the hands of another loved one.

READ MORE: Woman found dead in San Tan Valley; son charged with murder: PCSO

“She was an amazing person,” Rebecca Hatch said through tears.

Rebecca Hatch was her niece.

“I didn’t believe it at first.”

Collier was found by a jogger on Wednesday morning, October 30, in a field in the San Tan Valley.

Investigators believe her 18-year-old son killed her.

“I didn’t believe it at first. “I thought it was some kind of joke, some sick Halloween joke,” Hatch said. “Tragically, it turned out to be true.”

“She was very fascinated by her faith.”

According to Hatch, her aunt was the caretaker of the family, put the needs of others before her own and relied on her faith to make that happen, according to Hatch.

“She was a Mormon. I think she would want people to know that. Mary was a Mormon in the strongest sense of the word. She was very passionate about her faith. She is very dedicated to it and has touched and inspired the people around her. She was selfless,” Rebecca says.

The most important question is: why? Rebecca says it’s hard for the family to begin to understand, especially since mother and son have always seemed so close.

“Of all the people in the family, it was Maria he loved the most and respected the most. It’s inexplicable. It’s completely incomprehensible and came completely out of nowhere,” says Rebecca.

He adds that soon the whole family will unite and find a way to move on, honoring Mary’s life by following in her footsteps.

“I’m sure if I could hear her last words, it would be about her family and the people she loved,” Rebecca said. “She was that kind of person.”

Collier was found by a jogger in a farm field west of Gantzel Road and south of Skyline Drive around 9 a.m. Wednesday. Her body was found in an open field, behind piles of dirt.

Her cause of death is believed to be blunt force trauma.

Investigators say they believe the murder was the result of an argument that took place on Tuesday evening and lasted until Wednesday morning. However, they did not establish the motive for the crime.

For those who want to help the family in the future, a GoFundMe was created to raise money for her funeral.