BUCKEYE, AZ — A West Valley man who was missing for more than a month has been found dead in Buckeye, according to officials.
Chad Holvig, who was reported missing on July 11, was found on August 4, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.
Chad's son Dalton was reported missing one day earlier, on July 10. Dalton was found alive with three gunshot wounds last week during an MCSO home search near Citrus Road and Interstate 10.
Officials said Dalton's wounds appeared to have happened several weeks prior to finding him and he had not received medical attention. Court documents show Dalton was zip-tied and held against his will at the home.
“They weren’t tended to by any medical professional,” said Sheriff Paul Penzone about Dalton’s injuries. “He was being kept there, according to his statements, against his will.”
During the home search, two bodies were also found on the property. Those two bodies were then turned over to the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office for identification and to determine their cause of death.
On Wednesday, MCSO Sheriff Paul Penzone announced one of the two bodies has been identified as Chad Holvig. A cause of death hasn't been determined, though MCSO referred to Chad's death as a homicide.
The second body was identified as 31-year-old Anthony Vayne. Vayne's cause of death is believed to be a gunshot wound, according to Sheriff Penzone.
MCSO has not released additional details on Vayne or how he was connected to the home and others involved.
Police also found several firearms and illegal substances during a search of the property.
“This is an environment, and this is a circumstance that is indicative where people utilize drugs and are comfortable with violence,” said Sheriff Penzone.
Two residents of the home were detained during the search and later taken into custody, booked on multiple charges.
The residents, Roberto and Christina Bernal, face charges including aggravated assault, aggravated assault with a weapon, prohibited possessor, and kidnapping. The charges are related to Vayne's death and Dalton's injuries.
Investigators are still working on the details surrounding Chad's death and potential charges related.
Kayla Holvig, Chad's niece, provided the following statement to ABC15:
“Family was important to him above all other things, and he’d be there in the blink of an eye if you needed him. He’s an adored son, a loved little brother, a loving father, a fairly new grandfather of two, an incredible uncle, and a GREAT friend to many. He had the heart of gold, and a love for fast cars and freedom. His smile and laugh could light up any room he entered. He will be missed every single day, on every special event, birthday and holiday, and all of our lives are going to feel extremely empty without him.”
The family has set up a GoFundMe to help pay for funeral expenses.
