On Wednesday morning, the Emerson Valley Sheriff’s Department was called to a gruesome scene on the outskirts of Blackwood Forest. Upon arriving, Sheriff Oliver Price was met by two deputies and Fred Gibbons, a resident of Emerson Valley who lives near the forest. Sources say that the bodies of Maya Thomas, 22, and Daniel Green, 25, were discovered by Mr. Gibbons as he was out walking his dog.

The Sheriff’s Department has released a statement, claiming that the coroner hasn’t been able to determine how Ms. Thomas and Mr. Green died. They are still investigating the matter, so more information will be released soon. In addition, Sheriff Price has vehemently denied the rumors that they were murdered, stating during a press conference that nothing indicated this to be the case.

However, insider sources have said there is no doubt that the pair were victims of a brutal murderer. According to them, Ms. Thomas and Mr. Green were found strung up between the trees, and their bodies had been cut open in several places and missing their internal organs.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said the source, whose name we’ve chosen to keep confidential. “It was like they were sacrifices to some evil, demonic god or something! Their hearts, kidneys, livers, and intestines were just gone. They were carved open and harvested. It’s one of the worst things I’ve ever had to witness.”

Despite this, Sheriff Price insists that it’s still too early in the investigation to make any definitive statements on how they died. He was quoted as saying, “Anything you’ve heard about bodies being strung up or had their organs stolen is complete rubbish. While we’re still trying to determine the cause of death, it looks to me like they probably had an accident while hiking through the woods and met an unfortunate end. But again, nothing’s official yet, so I urge you all to keep any wild theories to yourselves.”

Many residents of Emerson Valley are skeptical of the sheriff’s words, considering his track record lately. Only this past February, Sheriff Price was accused by one of his former deputies of using official funds to purchase a new house in the exclusive neighborhood of Carolina Springs on the southeast side of town. Several officials from the Raven Club have also claimed that Sheriff Price attempted to use his position to silence them after he harassed one of their members until they committed suicide. None of these allegations have been proven at this time, but the tide of public opinion has turned on Sheriff Price.

Due to the Sheriff’s Department refusal to release the bodies of Ms. Thomas and Mr. Green to their families, any funeral plans have been put on hold. Instead, there will be a shared memorial for them at St. Gabriel’s Church on Saturday, June 25th. Anyone looking to attend are encouraged to bring pictures or other memories of the deceased, as well as candles for a starlight vigil. We ask that you direct any inquiries to our official email address at emersonvalleygazette@gmail.com.

-Sarah Donovan, Editor & Local News, Emerson Valley Gazette

UPDATE (6/19/2021): After some pressure from Mayor Anthony Faulk, the Sheriff’s Department has agreed to release the bodies of the victims to their families. Funeral arrangements are being made to take place in the days following the shared memorial.

UPDATE (6/20/2021): Due to a misfiled document at the Sheriff’s Department, the bodies of Ms. Thomas and Mr. Green were accidentally cremated. The victims’ families have indicated that the planned funerals will proceed as arranged.

UPDATE (7/14/2021): The families of Ms. Thomas and Mr. Green have filed a civil suit against the Emerson Valley Sheriff’s Department for the wrongful destruction of their loved ones’ remains.