Remains Of Missing Scottsdale Man, 'Jubi' Found In Mesa Canal

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — The remains of missing Scottsdale man Najib "Jubi" Monsif were found last week in a canal pump station in Mesa, according to Scottsdale Police.

Monsif's skeleton was found by a worker at the Central Arizona Project canal pump station near Power Road and Red Mountain Loop 202 in Mesa, police said. The Scottsdale Police Crime Lab confirmed through DNA testing that that skeleton belong to Monsif. A preliminary report from a pathologist indicated that were no obvious signs of foul play, but an official report from the medical examiner’s office is still pending.

Monsif, 20, was reported missing from his home in Scottsdale on Sept. 23. Monsif had autism, giving him a diminished mental capacity, according to his family and police.

A canal that runs behind Monsif's home is the extension of the canal where his remains were found, police said during a Tuesday news conference. The station where his skeleton was discovered is the end of the line for that canal, 11 miles away from Monsif's home.

Although the canal is surrounded by fencing, there is an area with a small gap between two fences near the intersection of Via Linda and Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard where police believe Monsif might have accessed the canal.

“This is an answer, but it’s not the final answer,” said Scottsdale Police Detective John Heinzelman during the news conference. “It is still a mystery as to how he got in there.”

Najib Monsif Sr. posted this message in a Facebook group for supporters of the Monsif family who had been helping search for, distribute fliers and keep an eye out for the younger Monsif:

“Jubi’s birthday is the 22nd of December. This day was always the happiest day of the year for the Monsif family for the past 20 years. Yesterday Scottsdale police informed us that Jubi’s remains were found in the canal. Our angel was only 20 years old. Thank you for your love."

The Scottsdale Police Department worked with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, and Central Arizona Project to search for Monsif shortly after his disappearance. Searchers used tracking dogs, air units, bicycle units, mounted patrol units, patrol officers, and detectives on foot to look for Monsif in the neighborhood, desert, and the canal near his home.

Police also searched through surveillance footage from nearby businesses and homes, and found no footage of Monsif following his disappearance, according to police. They also looked through his cell phone and gaming accounts but found no evidence of foul play, police said.

Monsif told his mother and his brother on the night before his disappearance that he was sorry and he would miss them, according to police, but when family members asked what he meant he blew off the question, saying it didn't matter.

“We are heartbroken at the development in this case,” said Scottsdale Police Public Information Officer Aaron Bolin. “This is not the outcome anyone in the community was hoping for. We all hoped Jubi would be found alive, in good health and be able to be reunited with family and friends.”