A Show Low woman has been indicted by a Navajo County grand jury for allegedly interfering in the investigation into the disappearance of Jarrett Brooks, a Joseph City teenager missing since July 2023.
Molly Kathryn Ottman, 50, was charged May 6, with fraudulent schemes and artifices, a Class 2 felony, and obstructing a criminal investigation, a Class 5 felony. Ottman is the executive editor and investigative journalist with the online news publication Mountain Daily Star.
Brooks, who was 16 at the time, was reported missing on July 4, 2023, following a dispute with his parents. He has not been seen or heard from since. His disappearance prompted extensive search efforts involving law enforcement and community members.
In October 2023, Ottman contacted the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office with information about Reddit posts she claimed were made by Jarrett’s father, Brian Brooks. The posts appeared to refer to sexual conduct with a minor. This led to a law enforcement investigation that included search warrants executed at the Brooks’ residence, and at the office of a private investigator hired by the family, which of Ottman had previously been employed.
According to the Navajo County Attorney’s Office, further investigation concluded that Ottman had allegedly created the Reddit account herself and authored the posts in question.
“A 16-year-old boy was missing and all of law enforcement’s energy and resources should have been able to remain focused strictly on the search for that young man,” Navajo County Attorney Brad Carlyon said in a statement. “Diverting attention, resources and time to fabricated evidence creates unwarranted distractions during time-sensitive investigations.”
Ottman was notified of the indictment on May 8, and has been summoned to appear at 9 a.m. on Monday, June 2, in Navajo County Superior Court Division III. The charges are allegations, and Ottman is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
