Alijah Bradley

Alijah Bradley, a 24-year-old Black male, was a bright and beloved soul just beginning his adult life in Gilbert, Arizona. Family described him as a free spirit who loved the outdoors and the sunshine, with a warm, goofy personality. Having recently graduated Cum Laude from Northern Arizona University with a degree in engineering, he was working as a project engineer with a promising future ahead of him. His family and friends cherished his kindness and looked forward to seeing all he would accomplish.

The day after his 24th birthday, on August 12, 2024, Alijah was last seen alive. Concern mounted when he failed to show up for work and broke his daily habit of calling his mother to say good morning. His family reported him missing on August 15. Using a phone tracking app, his mother discovered his phone’s last known location was the apartment of his childhood friend, Samuel Bush. When the family confronted him, Bush denied knowing where Alijah was. The family then contacted Toyota to get the GPS coordinates of Alijah’s car, which led authorities to a remote desert area east of Gila Bend.

On August 19, the search came to a devastating end when investigators discovered Alijah’s vehicle and his remains in the desert. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office later ruled his death a homicide. According to court documents and family statements, Alijah had been shot in the back. His body was then dismembered and placed into separate plastic bags.

The investigation by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office quickly focused on Samuel Bush, then 23. Investigators found an electric saw with Alijah’s blood on it in Bush’s apartment and a receipt showing he had purchased the saw after the murder. Cell phone records also placed Bush in the same desert location where Alijah’s body was found. Authorities arrested Bush on September 4, 2024, in connection with the murder.

Bush was initially charged with second-degree murder and concealing human remains, and a grand jury later indicted him for first-degree murder. However, the case did not proceed to trial. Instead, Samuel Bush pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and aggravated assault in connection with Alijah Bradley’s death.

On February 27, 2026, a judge sentenced Bush for his crimes. He received a 25-year prison sentence for the murder of his friend, an additional 15 years for the aggravated assault charge, and five years for a separate drug offense. The case was officially closed as of February 2026.