Family seeks help to help pay for funeral of metro-east man found dead in Arizona desert

Family members of a man who grew up in the metro-east are raising funds to pay for his funeral after his remains were found in a desert in Arizona.

Chris Sins, 34, was reported missing after he was last seen in the desert on July 22. His remains were found on Nov. 9, according to La Paz County Sheriff William Ponce.

Sins grew up in Millstadt and had lived in Belleville before he moved to Arizona to help care for his father, according to Channel 2-KTVI.

Sins’ family has established a GoFundMe page seeking donations to help pay for his funeral.

“Please know our family greatly appreciates any assistance offered,” states the GoFundMe page started by his sister.

“Chris had the best heart and gave people chance after chance, even when he probably shouldn’t have. I’ve seen him give his last dollar away to someone he felt needed it more. He would give his shirt off his back.”

Remains found

Ponce said the medical examiner believes the likely cause of Sins’ death was due to exposure to the heat but an exact cause of death was not established because of the body’s decomposition.

The high temperatures in late July can reach 120 degrees, Ponce said.

The sheriff said investigators do not believe foul play was involved in the death based on the location of the body.

“His body was located underneath a tree like he had been trying to get out of the heat,” Ponce said.

Sins’ body was found in a rural area between the towns of Bouse and Vicksburg in Arizona near the California border.

Hunters had found a shoe in the area where the body was discovered and alerted others who who later found Sins’ body, Ponce said.

Sins had gone into the desert with another man at night and their vehicle had gotten stuck, Ponce said. The two men had walked separate ways and the other man was rescued.

“It’s unfortunate that we weren’t able to locate Mr. Sins alive and well,” Ponce said. “But we are thankful that the family was able to get some sense of closure and be able to bring home their loved one and lay him to rest properly.”

This story was originally published December 3, 2024 at 12:07 PM.