Investigators found the body of college student Mackenzie Lueck, 23, at Logan Canyon in Utah, Salt Lake City Police Department Chief Mike Brown said on Friday. Authorities said they wouldn’t answer follow up questions because of the delicate nature of the case, but the investigation is ongoing.
Cops recovered Lueck’s body on Wednesday, Brown said. They confirmed through forensics that it was her. Brown reiterated a request that the media respect privacy for the victim’s family. All told, however, details on the new development remain sparse.
Brown announced murder, kidnapping, desecration of a body, and obstruction of justice charges last week against Ayoola Ajayi, 31. At the time, Brown said authorities found charred items consistent with items belonging to Lueck. They also claimed to have found “other charred material” determined to be human female tissue. It was consistent with the DNA profile from the items that they believe belonged to Lueck.
Cops said that on June 17 Lueck arrived at an airport via a Los Angeles-to-Salt Lake City flight. Lueck took a Lyft to a park, met up with the defendant, and left at around 3 a.m.
In an interview with cops, Ajayi allegedly admitted that he previously communicated with Lueck, but said he didn’t know what she looked like. It turned out that he had some pictures of her, however.
Neighbors told cops that they saw the defendant burn something with gasoline in his backyard on June 17 and 18.
Mackenzie Lueck’s remains have been found, according to police, in the backyard of a home. 31-year-old Ayoola Ajayi will face aggravated murder, kidnapping, and other charges. Mackenzie disappeared 11 days ago after taking Lyft to a park. https://t.co/k4T13eWxQ5 pic.twitter.com/zOUPqWwJwz
— Lindsey Mastis (@LindseyMastis) June 28, 2019
[Image via KSL screengrab]
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