INSTINCT AND TRAGEDY: Nancy’s loyal dog breaks free, runs 5 kilometers toward the Rillito River — officers are left stunned when they find it frantically digging at a freshly covered patch of earth

Authorities secured the site and requested forensic assistance. Crime scene technicians began documenting the area, photographing the soil pattern and surrounding vegetation before conducting controlled excavation. Officials have not publicly confirmed what, if anything, was recovered beneath the disturbed ground. Law enforcement emphasized that freshly moved soil in desert environments can result from various causes, including wildlife activity or environmental factors.