Kingman couple charged with abandoning their dead son

KINGMAN – A Kingman area couple has been charged with abandoning the dead body of their 16-year old, and one of her roommates is being held after allegedly holding the Kingman woman’s 14-year old daughter captive, according to a news release from the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office.

On Feb. 25, 2023, sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the 2300 block of Packard Ave in Kingman in reference to a runaway juvenile claim.

Amber-Leah Valentine, 41, and Jon Imes, 41, both of Kingman, reported that their 16-year-old son had run away from home. Deputies were told he was last seen the previous day around 10 a.m..

On Feb. 28, 2023, deputies were dispatched to the area of Anson Smith Road and Indian Canyon Road in the Kingman area in reference to a death investigation. A deceased white male was located wrapped in a blanket behind a stone wall.

Detectives responded and an autopsy was scheduled to determine the cause/manner of death.

On March 2, Amber-Leah Valentine called the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office and reported that she had just freed her 14-year-old daughter, who was being held captive by Valentine’s roommates, Richard Pounds, 34, and Shioban Gujda, 39, both of Kingman.

She requested medical attention for both she and her daughter, and both were transported to Kingman Regional Medical Center. Amber-Leah Valentine indicated that she and her husband, Jon Imes, had disposed of their 16-year-old son’s body at the

previously mentioned location. She admitted that she lied to deputies when he was reported as a runaway and acknowledged that he was already deceased at the time of the report.

During questioning, Jon Imes admitted to disposing of his son’s body and lying to deputies about him running away.

Detectives spoke with the 14-year-old daughter while she was at Kingman Regional Medical Center. The female juvenile indicated that she had been shot in the eye with a BB gun by Richard Pounds and provided additional accounts of abuse in the home.

Arizona Department of Child Safety was contacted, and the juvenile is currently receiving medical treatment at an undisclosed location. Both Amber-Leah Valentine and Jon Imes were taken into custody for felony abandonment/concealment of a dead body and booked into the Mohave County Adult Detention Facility.

A search warrant was served at the residence in the 2300 block of Packard Avenue with the assistance of the Bullhead City SWAT team. The roommates, Pounds and Gujda, were taken into custody and questioned at the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office. After questioning, Richard Pounds was arrested for felony child abuse and aggravated assault and booked into the Mohave County Adult Detention Center. Shioban Gujda was released pending further investigation.

The Mohave County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy on the 16-year-old male on Saturday March 4 to determine the cause of death. The autopsy results are pending.

The case remains under active investigation and additional charges are pending.