The Lyft driver is the one who described the interaction between Mackenzie and the unidentified individual as pleasant & happy to see each other. Things arent adding up, Ashley Fine said at the press conference. Shearer told the Deseret News, We have reason to believe she did not stay in that area very long. Shearer did not provide many details, including whether surveillance video or other evidence indicates that she left the area on foot or in another vehicle. She then attended the University of Utah where she majored in kinesiology and pre-nursing and was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority. NBCs Dateline: The Waiting Car is an episode that profiles the 2019 murder of 23-year-old MacKenzie Lueck, a University of Utah student, whose remains were recovered partly from a backyard and partly from a shallow grave in a canyon nearly two weeks after she was strangled to death. A jogger runs past a poster seeking information on the whereabouts of missing student Mackenzie Lueck at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City, on June 24, 2019. All of your friends are here., READ NEXT: 26-Year-Old Woman Murdered During Her Lunch Break, MacKenzie Lueck: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. She hasnt been home. The deans office is also talking with and providing support to Mackenzies classmates. Her funeral was held June 15 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in El Segundo. Police said at a June 24 press conference that interviews with the Lyft driver revealed Lueck met someone in another vehicle at Hatch Park in North Salt Lake when the rideshare driver dropped her off at 2:59 a.m. Police declined to release details about the make and model of the car or a description of the driver that Lueck met because they have not confirmed those details and do not want to put out possible misinformation. They had asked for privacy during the trying times of 2019, and even now, they rarely speak publicly about the matter. If that is the case, MacKenzie, we are asking you to please reach out to either the Salt Lake City Police Department or a law enforcement agency where you are at. Lueck was reported missing June 20 after she disappeared following a Lyft ride from Salt Lake City International Airport. MacKenzie Lueck was born in 1995 ( age 23 years old, as in 2018) in El Segundo, California (USA). Mackenzie Lueck was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority and a part-time senior at the University of Utah studying kinesiology and pre-nursing. She was selfless and perfect. Ajayi then burned her body and buried it in his backyard, Hamilton said. Make snippets of Mackenzie talking to create audio highlights to share with your friends or embed in related blog posts. Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to call the Salt Lake City Police Department at 801-799-4420. We recognize how scary this must be for those who know and love Ms. Lueck, a Lyft spokesperson told ABC News. That's where she last saw and hugged her cousin before she returned to Utah and was killed, Chloe Stevens said as she cried. Detectives are also knocking on doors in the area of the park to rule out that anyone there may have had contact with MacKenzie or seen anything., Doubt added, Occasionally police work a missing person case where the person does not want to have contact with family and friends. Furthermore, she is the daughter of her mother Diana Lueck. Her car has not been moved. Lueck arranged to meet Ajayi at a park, and then went back to his house where he had turned off the CCTV cameras in anticipation of killing her. [7] Lueck was raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Then, she enrolled at the University of . He was an information technology worker who had stints with high-profile companies and was briefly in the Army National Guard. Never have I been so fearful for my life because I know how real evil is in this world. Mackenzie Lueck was a bubbly and jovial student who was a part-time senior at the University of Utah where she was studying Kinesiology and Pre-nursing. I will never be able to forgive what happened to her. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. * She is my ride or die and Im truly worried, and panicked. On June 8, she posted on Facebook about the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment being passed, giving women the right to vote. He was wearing an orange jail jumpsuit, glasses and blue surgical mask. She disappeared following a Lyft ride from Salt Lake City International Airport. Classmate Kaitlyn Roeda, who also is a member of Luecks sorority, described her as a model student to affiliate KSL. Detectives have spoken with the Lyft driver and learned that MacKenzie was met at Hatch Park by an individual in a vehicle. Facei clic pe Administrare setri pentru a obine mai multe informaii i pentru a gestiona alegerile. [22] Ajayi pleaded not guilty to the charges on October 1, 2020. Moreover, she used her name Kenzie Lueck. SALT LAKE CITY A tech worker pleaded guilty on Wednesday to strangling a Utah college student whose disappearance over a year ago sparked a search that ended with the discovery of her charred remains in his backyard. They had asked for privacy during the trying times of 2019, and even now, they rarely speak publicly about the matter. The pieces just didnt add up in my head. It is not known why she went there. She made her Facebook and Instagram account too. She took a Lyft rideshare at 2:42 from the airport to a park in North Salt Lake. SALT LAKE CITY Family and friends of MacKenzie Lueck are understandably devastated. 'My daughter Mackenzie Lueck was a sweet, amazing young lady with the world ahead of her. He faced felony charges of criminal homicide/aggravated murder, aggravated kidnapping, obstruction of justice and the abuse or desecration of a human body. Wolf declined the job. The Lueck family had not said much publicly since their daughter's charred remains were found in the summer of 2019 in Ajayi's backyard in Salt Lake City. Ayoola A. Ajayi acknowledged he planned the death of 23-year-old Mackenzie Lueck, whom he met on a dating app and arranged to meet in a park. The university is cooperating with the Salt Lake City Police Department, which is investigating her disappearance. and We encourage the public to help us answer these questions: Does MacKenzie have an alternate phone that she has used or is using? Megan Gallagher My everything. Her phone was turned off a minute after the last text and never turned back on. Again, she wrote that her father Mr. Gerry was her superhero. She hasnt been to work, home, and missed a school midterm yesterday. They discuss Alex Murdaugh taking the stand in his own defense, a federal judge's ruling that will cut 20 years from R. Kelly's sentence, and prosecutors dropping a gun enhancement charge against Alec Baldwin. We just want to make sure you are safe and will respect your wishes., Doubt said some of the unanswered questions about the case are some of the same ones detectives are trying to find answers for. After detectives came to his door to question him, he dug her up and buried her in a shallow grave in a canyon nearly 100 miles north of Salt Lake City. [24], A search of and around Ajayi's property yielded Luecks belongings and some of her remains. Lueck was returning to Utah after a trip home to go to her grandmothers funeral in the Los Angeles area, her family and friends say. Fine told KTVX-TV that Lueck was planning to return home to California to visit her family again and bought plane tickets for that trip. Ayoola Ajayi, 31, has been charged with aggravated murder, aggravated kidnapping, obstruction of justice and desecration of a body. The 23-year-old was described by friends and family as "a . Days later, after police came to Ajayis house to ask him questions about Luecks disappearance, Ajayi dug up Lueck's remains and took them to Logan Canyon where he buried Lueck in a wooded area in a shallow grave. The American bison (Bison bison) is the largest terrestrial mammal in North America and is represented by two subspecies. District Attorney Sim Gill said the guilty pleas allow Luecks parents to begin to obtain closure and a measure of justice.[6][11][14][28] On October 23, 3rd District Judge Vernice Trease sentenced Ajayi to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Police said they have not set up a search in a specific area because they do not have enough information to do so. 2. Who Was Mack Gallagher? The next day, he burned her remains. We ask that everyone respect the privacy of Mackenzie`s family at this time, he said. [2][3] Ayoola Ajayi, 31, was arrested and charged with Lueck's kidnapping and murder. Lets make our votes count., In another recent post she said, I dont wear makeup for others the same way I dont decorate my house for others. Suspect in Mackenzie Lueck case makes video court appearance. Updated She was also found to be missing part of her scalp and had a five-centimeter hole[20] in her skull. Salt Lake Police Sergeant Brandon Shearer told KSTU-TVs Erin Cox, Our concern is extremely high right now. Friends say they do not know why Lueck would have been going to the park or who she could have been meeting. Mackenzie did not appear to be in any distress when she got out of the Lyft and into the unidentified vehicle.. [23] Detectives found that Lueck and Ajayi had exchanged several text messages in the early morning of June 17,[20] with Luecks last text to him being at 2:58 am. IE 11 is not supported. Suspect in Mackenzie Lueck Murder Charged With 19 Counts of Sexual Exploitation of Minors. Denise Dial, a longtime friend of the Lueck family, holds a sign in remembrance of MacKenzie Lueck during a vigil for Mackenzie Lueck at the university in Salt Lake City on Monday, July 1, 2019. Ever since MacKenzies passing was confirmed, the Luecks have lived a private life. The family of slain University of Utah student Mackenzie Lueck confronted her killer in court more than a year after the 23-year-old's remains were found burned in his backyard. But even though he pleaded guilty and is now behind bars for his offenses, the effect his actions had on MacKenzies family, especially her parents, hangs like a dark cloud over their heads. Brian Wolf told CNN by phone Friday night that he went to Ajayis house for a consult on drywall work, but was asked instead to build a room with a secret door, protected by a thumb print scanner lock. According to Begnaud, She put her bag in the car & appeared to be happy to see the driver, when she arrived at Hatch Park. My absolute best friend. [6], Last edited on 20 February 2023, at 21:21, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Exclusive: Friend of missing 23-year-old Mackenzie Lueck speaks out about disappearance", "Slain Utah student Mackenzie Lueck's charred body was bound in shallow grave; suspect formally charged: DA", "Body of Slain University of Utah Student Mackenzie Lueck Was Found Bound in Shallow Grave", "Man charged in death of Utah college student Mackenzie Lueck", "MacKenzie Lueck's accused killer to appear in court for second time", "Ayoola Ajayi pleads guilty to killing Mackenzie Lueck and the murder was planned before they met", "Man Pleads Guilty to Killing and Burning a Utah College Student", "Man apologizes as he's sentenced to life in prison for Mackenzie Lueck slaying", "MacKenzie Speth "Kenzie" Lueck (1996-2019) - Find", "Who was MacKenzie Lueck? She was expected to graduate in spring 2020. Her family members tried to find her with the help of Utah Police. Mackenzie Lueck, 23, had been missing since June 17. . Additionally, she was a perfect and selfless person. The university is cooperating with the Salt . 20190628 Mackenzie Lueck's uncle gathers himself before reading a statement from her family during a press conference at the Public Safety Building in Salt Lake City on Friday, June 28, 2019. He apologized in court, though Gill told media he didn't believe the apology was genuine. Her cousin, Carly Stevens, said through tears: 'This is a nightmare you can't wake up from. MacKenzie Luecks family and friends have set up social media accounts to help in the search for her. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. The book was later taken off Amazon. Fine told the news station that Lueck lives in Trolley Square with her roommates. "Strangely enough about the time Mackenzie went missing, there was a fire in the backyard and a very strange smell . [2] An autopsy found that the blunt force trauma to the left side of her skull caused brain hemorrhaging that ultimately killed her. After they returned to his home, he bound and . Does MacKenzie have any social media accounts we do not know about? Mackenzie Lueck was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority and a part-time senior at the University of Utah studying kinesiology and pre-nursing. A college student goes missing in Salt Lake City, and new developments appear grim. 9:26 AM EDT, Mon July 1, 2019, Suspect arrested in killing of Utah college student. He said they are also not aware of any issues with drugs or alcohol or mental health issues. Ajayi also pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a different woman he met on a dating app. Furthermore, she is the daughter of her mother Diana Lueck. Lyft said the driver continued to pick up other riders after dropping Lueck off. She tried to stop him, after which he put a belt around her neck, pushed her onto her stomach and strangled her, the attorney said. I provided daily house cleaning, plan and prepare daily dinners and lunches, laundry as needed, and weekly grocery shopping. Lueck's cousin stated "This is a nightmare you can't wake up from. Fcnd clic pe Acceptai tot v exprimai acordul c Yahoo i partenerii notri vor procesa informaiile dvs. [14], Ajayi wrote a book called "Forge Identity" featuring two characters who are killed and burned. [7] Ajayi has also been accused by his ex-wife of threatening to have someone kidnap and kill her, leading her to cut off communication with him. Salt Lake City police on Friday arrested and charged a man with the murder of missing University of Utah student Mackenzie Lueck. Were so, so worried about you. Gill said the family has asked for privacy. [30] The photos allegedly depicted children between the ages of four and eight. Mackenzie Lueck's uncle gathers himself before reading a statement from her family during a press conference at the Public Safety Building in Salt Lake City on Friday, June 28, 2019. Im worried sick. Im extremely concerned for her and her well being.. More than six months after MacKenzie Lueck disappeared, and was later found murdered, 2News has obtained court documents that offer new information about the last moments of her life. Family members of a Utah college student who was found strangled and burned last year following a search for her that captured the nation's attention called the man who pleaded guilty to her murder a "monster" Friday as they confronted him before he was sentenced to life in . Weve still not found any evidence that she is in danger, that she has been harmed, specifically. He said there is no evidence a crime has been committed, but they are very concerned because she has disappeared without a trace. A tech worker pleaded guilty Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020, in the death of Lueck, more than a year after her disappearance sparked a large-scale search that ended with the discovery of her charred remains in his backyard. After all, in July, Ayoola Ajayi was charged with aggravated murder, aggravated kidnapping, obstruction of justice, and desecration of a body in connection to MacKenzies killing. She knew Ajayi for a long time. Lyft and their driver have cooperated with the investigation, the press release said. (She was) very hard-working, very dedicated to her studies.. Her family said she missed a flight home on Sunday, June 23. But on Monday, June 24, police said she had been taken to Hatch Park in North Salt Lake. Salt Lake City police take a man into custody in connection with missing University of Utah student MacKenzie Lueck in Salt Lake City on Friday, June 28, 2019. However, she was missing from Salt Lake City International Airport from June 17. The Lyft driver who picked up slain Utah sorority sister MacKenzie Lueck recounts the haunting details of the ride in a new interview. Kenzie Lueck is studying nursing and health education and promotion with an emphasis in emergency medicine management, according to her Linkedin profile. Vurbl People: Interviews, Commentary, News . ? along with a plea for human rights advocacy. Associated Press The girls were both members of the University of Utahs Alphi Chi Omega sorority and became each others little and big, KSL reports. Ajayi pleaded guilty earlier this month to aggravated murder and desecration of a corpse in an agreement with prosecutors that removed the possibility of the death penalty. I know this wont bring her back. 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