The Murder of Cindy Monkman: A Christmas Eve Tragedy in Arizona's Desert
In the harsh desert landscape near Arizona's Superstition Mountains, Christmas Eve 1988 became a day marked by tragedy rather than celebration. A father and son riding ATVs discovered the body of a young woman lying on her right side, dressed in casual clothing with one shoe missing. No identification was found at the scene—only tire tracks nearby and disturbing signs of violence on her body.
The woman was Cynthia "Cindy" Monkman, who had been reported missing by her sister Kathy when she failed to attend a Christmas party she had organized. The sisters were scheduled to fly home to Illinois on Christmas Eve morning. The autopsy revealed horrific details: a deep neck wound that nearly decapitated her, multiple stab wounds to her back and chest, and distinctive diamond-shaped bruises on her face likely caused by someone pressing a shoe against her head. The brutal nature of the attack suggested not just anger but intense rage from her assailant.
Key Takeaways
A young woman's body was discovered in the Arizona desert on Christmas Eve 1988, showing signs of a violent attack.
The victim was identified as Cynthia Monkman, who had missed a Christmas party and a flight home to Illinois with her sister.
The autopsy revealed multiple stab wounds and distinctive diamond-shaped bruises suggesting extreme violence and possible restraint during the attack.
Finding the Victim
The Superstitious Mountain Discovery
On December 24, 1988, what started as a routine outing in the Arizona desert turned into a grim discovery. A father and son pair riding their ATV near the Superstition Mountains came across the body of a young woman lying on her right side. The victim had only one shoe remaining on her foot and possessed no identification documents. Tire tracks marked the ground nearby, suggesting someone had driven to this remote location.
The witnesses immediately contacted authorities, placing a call to Pinal County 911 at 2:00 PM. Sheriff's deputies quickly responded to the scene, approximately 10 miles east of Mesa. The isolated desert location provided few immediate clues as to what had occurred or who the victim might be.
Initial Medical Assessment
Law enforcement officials conducted a thorough preliminary examination of the scene. The victim displayed obvious signs of violence, including a severe wound to her neck and multiple bloodstains on her clothing. Several distinctive diamond-shaped bruises were visible on her face, particularly around her left temple and eyebrow region.
The victim's clothing contained multiple puncture holes consistent with a sharp object. Blood stained both her garments and the surrounding dirt. Investigators noted the distinctive diamond pattern not only on her face but also imprinted in the soil adjacent to the body, suggesting someone had forcefully pressed a shoe against her face to immobilize her during the attack.
After documentation at the scene, officials transported the body to the Tucson Medical Examiner's Office for complete examination. Pathologist assistant Chuck Nagore described opening the body bag to find "a young, beautiful woman" with horrific injuries, including a deep, gaping wound on her neck so severe it nearly decapitated her. The autopsy would later reveal multiple stab wounds to her back and chest, with one penetrating her heart with enough force to break several ribs.
The medical examiner also identified defensive wounds on one of her hands and abrasions on her knees, indicating she had fought for her life. The cause of death was officially recorded as homicide resulting from the neck wound and multiple stab injuries.
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Emergency Response
The initial emergency notification came through on December 24, 1988—Christmas Eve—when recreational riders in the desert made a disturbing discovery. The authorities responded immediately, activating investigative protocols to address what would soon be identified as a homicide case near the Superstition Mountains.
911 Call and Sheriff's Investigation
At 2:00 PM on December 24, authorities received an emergency call reporting the discovery of a woman's body in a remote desert location approximately 10 miles east of Mesa, Arizona. Pinal County Sheriff's deputies quickly secured the scene and began their meticulous investigation. The victim was found lying on her right side with only one shoe remaining on her foot, with no identification or personal belongings present.
The crime scene presented investigators with several key elements:
Location: Isolated desert terrain near the Superstition Mountains
Physical evidence: Tire tracks near the body
Victim's condition:
Severe neck wound
Multiple stab wounds
Distinctive diamond-shaped bruises on her face
Blood stains on clothing and surrounding dirt
Defensive wounds on hands
During the autopsy, the medical examiner documented extensive trauma. The victim had suffered a nearly decapitating wound to her neck that penetrated through her spine. Four stab wounds marked her back, and another pierced her heart with enough force to break several ribs. The diamond-pattern bruises appeared to match footprint impressions found in the dirt beside the body, suggesting the attacker had forcefully restrained her.
The case took a significant turn when Mesa Police Department contacted Pinal detectives about a missing person report filed by Kathy Monkman, who reported her sister Cynthia "Cindy" Monkman hadn't attended a Christmas party she had organized. Both sisters were scheduled to fly to Illinois that morning, but Cindy never arrived for their 7:30 AM flight.
Medical Examination Findings
Physical Assessment Initial Notes
The initial examination revealed a female victim discovered in the desert near Superstition Mountains. The pathologist's assistant, Chuck Nagore, described opening the body bag to find a young woman with a severe wound on the left side of her neck. She was found lying on her right side with only one shoe remaining on her right foot. Blood stains were visible on her clothing, which had multiple holes consistent with sharp force trauma. The body showed no identification, complicating initial case processing.
Injury Documentation
The examination documented extensive trauma across the victim's body. Most notably, the neck wound was exceptionally deep, consisting of multiple cuts so severe they nearly decapitated her, penetrating through to her spine. Four stab wounds were identified on her back, and one chest wound had pierced her heart with enough force to break several ribs.
Distinctive diamond-shaped bruises appeared on the left side of her face, specifically near her left temple and eyebrow. These patterns matched impressions found in the dirt near the body, suggesting someone had forcefully held her down with a shoe. Additional findings included:
Multiple facial contusions
Abrasions on both knees
Defensive wound on one hand
Blood evidence on the surrounding soil
Death Determination
The medical examiner concluded that the cause of death resulted from the deep neck wound combined with multiple stab wounds. The manner of death was classified as homicide. The force and number of wounds indicated extreme violence, suggesting an attack fueled by intense emotion rather than a calculated act. The diamond-patterned bruises on the victim's face provided key forensic evidence, pointing to the attacker using footwear to immobilize her while inflicting the fatal injuries. The presence of defensive wounds confirmed the victim had attempted to protect herself during the assault.
Victim Identification
The discovery of an unidentified female body in the Arizona desert on December 24, 1988, presented investigators with a challenge. Found by a father and son riding ATVs near the Superstition Mountains, the young woman showed clear signs of violence but had no identification. She was positioned on her right side wearing casual clothes with only one shoe remaining.
Law enforcement worked diligently at the scene located approximately 10 miles east of Mesa, but the isolated location offered few immediate clues. The victim displayed severe wounds, particularly to her neck, and distinctive diamond-shaped bruising patterns on her face.
Connection To A Missing Person Case
The investigation gained momentum when Mesa Police Department contacted Pinal County detectives with crucial information. A woman had reported her sister missing since December 23rd - just one day before the body's discovery. This potential connection provided investigators with their first significant lead.
The autopsy findings revealed the horrific nature of the crime:
A deep, gaping wound on the left side of the neck that nearly decapitated the victim
Multiple stab wounds: four to the back and one to the chest penetrating the heart
Diamond-shaped bruises on the left temple and eyebrow
Matching diamond patterns in the dirt beside the body
Defensive wounds on one hand
Multiple bruises across the face and body
Scraped knees indicating a struggle
The medical examiner determined the cause of death as homicide from the neck wound and multiple stab injuries. The diamond bruising pattern appeared consistent with a shoe print, suggesting the attacker had forcefully pressed their foot against the victim's face during the assault.
Cindy's Disappearance
The missing person report came from Kathy, who was concerned about her sister Cynthia "Cindy" Monkman. According to Kathy, Cindy failed to appear at a Christmas party she had organized on December 23rd. This absence was completely out of character for Cindy, who typically enjoyed being the center of attention and meticulously planned such gatherings.
When repeated phone calls went unanswered, Kathy's concern deepened. The sisters had scheduled a flight to Illinois on Christmas Eve morning to visit family for the holidays. Desperately hoping Cindy would still make the trip, Kathy left a plane ticket on the counter with a handwritten note: "I love you don't worry about anything it's all going to be okay."
The 7:30 a.m. departure time came and went with no sign of Cindy. This disappearance, coupled with the timing and location of the unidentified body, raised serious questions about whether the desert victim might be the missing Cindy Monkman.
