? along with a plea for human rights advocacy. [21], Ajayi also was charged with 19 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Friends and family said they are going through her social media accounts and trying to find out if there is anything they are missing. 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. Fine added a message to Lueck, If youre in a bad situation, please reach out Were really concerned for you.. Staff have access to counseling through the Employee Assistance Program. MacKenzie Lueck is a 23-year-old University of Utah student who has been missing since June 17 after she disappeared following a Lyft ride from Salt Lake City International Airport. He was an information technology worker who had stints with high-profile companies and was briefly in the Army National Guard. Ajayi said little at Wednesdays hearing and occasionally hung his head. "Strangely enough about the time Mackenzie went missing, there was a fire in the backyard and a very strange smell . Ashley Fine told her Salt Lake Tribune about her friendship with MacKenzie. 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. 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. You had a heart of . Around that same time, Ayoola Ajayi, then-31, was charged and arrested for her brutal kidnapping and slaying. Lueck, who went by Kenzie Lueck on Facebook and Instagram, is the daughter of Greg Lueck and Diana Lueck. PLEASE SHARE! His attorneys then worked with prosecutors to find Lueck's body. ', By * She is my ride or die and Im truly worried, and panicked. She wrote, Sisters! Mackenzie is enrolled part-time as a senior at the U, and is majoring in kinesiology and pre-nursing and minoring in health. Browse for Mackenzie Lueck interviews, guest appearances, and call-ins. A beloved figure among friends and family, Mack was a kind and compassionate soul who always put others before himself. A native of Nigeria, Ajayi held a green card that allowed him to legally work and live in the U.S., prosecutors have said. 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. Assistant Police Chief Doubt said at a press conference, Detectives have learned that MacKenzie was scheduled to fly into LAX on Sunday morning, June 23. He said the detectives confirmed with the LAPD that Lueck was not on that flight. 15:57 EST 23 Oct 2020 Discovery Company. After that, she was with her murderer. There are also privacy concerns because Lueck could just not want to be found. A college student goes missing in Salt Lake City, and new developments appear grim. Many are asking for privacy, but sharing their heartbreak on social media, as they come to grips with the . Stoner said her friend was a personal assistant to a family. When Ayoola Ajayi pleaded guilty to the charges against him and was about to be sentenced to life in prison, he apologized to both Diana and Gregory for what he did, adding, I deserve what Im going to get. Cell phone data placed both Lueck and Ajayi in the park at 2:59 am. The . 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. She knew Ajayi for a long time. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Authorities have not discussed a motive for the killing. Her family said she missed a flight home on Sunday, June 23. The Lyft driver left MacKenzie at the park with that person and stated that MacKenzie did not appear to be in any type of distress. Your family is really worried about you. 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. A blond bubble of happiness, said Galison told KSL. Im a wreck, so PLEASE share. He pleaded guilty to forcible sexual abuse in that case. Fcnd clic pe Acceptai tot v exprimai acordul c Yahoo i partenerii notri vor procesa informaiile dvs. [10], Originally from Nigeria, Ajayi held a green card that allowed him to work in the US. Prosecutors dropped charges of aggravated kidnapping and obstructing justice. [27] A three-day preliminary hearing was set for October 28, 2020. Lueck was reported missing June 20 after she disappeared following a Lyft ride from Salt Lake City International Airport. She hasnt been to work, home, and missed a school midterm yesterday. Megan Gallagher My everything. appreciated. She took a Lyft to meet him in a park, prosecutors have said. A mentor, a beach and animal lover and an empowered woman", "Mackenzie Lueck case: Tech worker pleads guilty in death of Utah college student", "Ayoola Ajayi admits he planned to murder Utah student Mackenzie Lueck before he even met her", "Contractor says suspect in Mackenzie Lueck killing asked him to build a secret, soundproof room in the home in April", "Ayoola Ajayi Admits in Court That He Planned on Murdering Mackenzie Lueck After He Met Her Online", "Man accused of killing Utah student MacKenzie Lueck will go to trial on separate sexual assault case", "MacKenzie Lueck murder suspect apparently wrote book involving burning bodies", "Additional Details Released With Formal Charges In Lueck Homicide", "Lyft Driver Recalls 'Strange' Ride With Utah Student MacKenzie Lueck Before She Disappeared", "Slain student Mackenzie Lueck's Lyft driver recalls 'strange' ride", "Salt Lake County District Attorney Reveals How Mackenzie Lueck Died", "Ayoola Ajayi will spend the rest of his life in prison for killing MacKenzie Lueck", "Hearing finally set 1 year after Salt Lake man is charged with murdering student Mackenzie Lueck", "Man charged with murder, kidnapping in disappearance of missing Utah student Mackenzie Lueck", "Man pleads guilty to aggravated murder of University of Utah student in exchange for life sentence", "Police continue to track digital evidence after arrest in the death of student Mackenzie Lueck", "Mackenzie Lueck's body has been found, police say", "Hearing in Mackenzie Lueck murder case postponed as more evidence surfaces", "Tech worker pleads guilty to killing and burning California college student Mackenzie Lueck", "Family of slain Utah college student confronts her killer", "Ayoola Ajayi, accused of killing MacKenzie Lueck, faces new child porn charges", "Ayoola Ajayi Pleads Not Guilty In Child Porn Case", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murder_of_Mackenzie_Lueck&oldid=1140601404, Aggravated murder, aggravated kidnapping, obstruction of justice, and desecration of a body, This page was last edited on 20 February 2023, at 21:21. Things arent adding up. [21], After murdering Lueck, Ajayi claims he buried her body and some of her belongings in his backyard and threw some of her belongings into the Jordan River. Her cousin, Carly Stevens, said through tears: 'This is a nightmare you can't wake up from. [17] 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. [22] According to District Attorney Sim Gill, the evidence suggested that Ajayi murdered Lueck to see what it felt like to kill. Initially we were limited, again as time goes on its going to open some of those avenues up to more investigative tools, the longer shes missing the more opportunity we have to look into those sort of things, Shearer told KSTU-TV. He apologized in court, though Gill told media he didn't believe the apology was genuine. Where could she have gone? [6][7][17][21], On June 20, Lueck's father called the Salt Lake City Police Department to inform them that no one had heard from her since she arrived back in Utah. A Facebook page with photos of Ajayi promoted the book. Does MacKenzie have any social media accounts we do not know about? 'This was murder for murder's sake,' said Mathis, of the Salt Lake District Attorney's Office. I know this won't bring her back.'. 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. Investigators also searched Ajayi's vehicle which they reported smelled strongly of gas. We recognize how scary this must be for those who know and love Ms. Lueck, a Lyft spokesperson told ABC News. 2. Ayoola Ajayi, 32, pleaded guilty earlier this month to killing MacKenzie Lueck. My daughterwas a sweet, amazing young lady with the world ahead of her, he continued. Her sorority sisters and other friends have been helping to lead the search efforts in Salt Lake City and the surrounding area, passing out flyers and asking people if they have seen her. I love you and Ill see you in a life time., Her friend, Juliana Cauley, told CBS News, Ive never met a person that doesnt like Mackenzie. Gill said the family has asked for privacy. On June 8, she posted on Facebook about the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment being passed, giving women the right to vote. She had the membership of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority group in the University of Utah. 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. He said detectives have interviewed her friends and acquaintances from school and checked locations she was known to frequent. Lueck was a part-time senior studying kinesiology and pre-nursing who had been enrolled since 2014, according to a statement on the University of Utahs website. Video shows when one neighbor gives police evidence she found in her yard. The murder of Mackenzie Lueck occurred on June 17, 2019. Were not sure what the case is at this point, Salt Lake Police Sergeant Brandon Shearer told the Deseret News. Lueck and Ajayi agreed to meet up once she returned from California to Utah. The University of Utah is deeply concerned about the well-being of Mackenzie "Kenzie" Lueck and her family. 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. and At the . 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. My absolute best friend. The charred body of slain University of Utah student Mackenzie Lueck was discovered bound in a shallow grave, prosecutors said Wednesday as formal charges were filed against her suspected killer. Her dad is Greg Lueck. In the early investigation revealed some shocking facts about Lueck. Her phone was turned off a minute after the last text and never turned back on. SLCPD Assistant Chief Tim Doubt gives a public update on MacKenzie Lueck, who was reported missing by her parents on Thursday, June 20. Yet, when the time came, she decided that she wanted to attend the University of Utah, 700 miles from home, to study kinesiology and pre-nursing. They set up a Twitter account too i.e. MacKenzie Lueck had not been seen since early in the morning on Monday, June 17, when a Lyft driver picked her up and took her to an address in North Salt Lake, Utah, according to police. She was really nice, always said Hi, wanted to know my first name, wanted to get my number to see if she could study (with me), Peterson told KSL. Though, the officers searched for the girl for 11 days. 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. For the next few years, the Lueck family lived a seemingly ordinary life, but that all changed on June 17, 2019, when MacKenzie flew back to Salt Lake City, Utah, after attending her grandmothers funeral. The more this gets around, the more information we may get. Ajayi then burned her body and buried it in his backyard, Hamilton said. 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 . [17], After being arrested, Ajayi told his attorneys where Lueck was buried. Things arent adding up, Ashley Fine said at the press conference. After they returned to his home, he bound and . He faced felony charges of criminal homicide/aggravated murder, aggravated kidnapping, obstruction of justice and the abuse or desecration of a human body. Police said the Lyft driver did take Lueck to the location she requested, according to a press release. IP, Activitatea de rsfoire i cutare cnd folosii site-urile web i aplicaiile Yahoo. Wolf declined the job. Still, she avoided her flight to El Segundo to meet her parents and siblings on June 17. 'Never in my life have I felt anger the way I have the last 16 months. Furthermore, she is the daughter of her mother Diana Lueck. 2023 Cable News Network. 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. MacKenzie Lueck's family and friends have set up social media accounts to help in the search for her. I worked with a family to make their life a little bit easier. Mackenzie Lueck went missing in June 2019, after returning from a trip home to El Segundo, California, for her grandmother's funeral. Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to call the Salt Lake City Police Department at 801-799-4420. Doubt said they are not aware of any past occasions where Lueck went off the grid without telling anyone. Shes making those plans with friends and family to have plans for the future. Mackenzie Lueck's Lyft Driver Speaks Out. [7][11] According to prosecutors, he and Lueck met in 2018 on a dating website called Seeking Arrangement, which represents itself as a platform for "sugar daddies" and "sugar babies" to meet. Kenzie Lueck is studying nursing and health education and promotion with an emphasis in emergency medicine management, according to her Linkedin profile. . Keep reading to know more about him and sudden death. 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. In October 2020, Ajayi pleaded guilty to Lueck's murder and was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without parole. Her funeral was held June 15 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in El Segundo. MacKenzie Lueck was born in 1995 (age 23 years old, as in 2018) in El Segundo, California (USA). Ajayi was allowed to return to campus in 2015 after resolving issues with his visa. My entire world. [6] On July 3[15] while searching, investigators found recently disturbed ground off the main road in a wooded area. . However, she was missing from Salt Lake City International Airport from June 17. Ayoola Ajayi, 31, has been charged with aggravated murder, aggravated kidnapping, obstruction of justice and desecration of a body. He studied computer science but did not graduate. On June 24, Salt Lake City Police said they have set up a tip-line for information about Lueck. Shes my best friend. Detectives are concerned for Mackenzies welfare. Police said they have no reason to doubt his story and have confirmed he took customers on rides after dropping Lueck off at the park. Updated 'I'm not sure you even have anything to look forward to in the afterlife, if you believe in that,' he said. MacKenzie Lueck is an American citizen studying at Utah University. [6][12] Lueck, who told the driver she was meeting a friend,[19] was dropped off at around 3:00 am. She took a Lyft rideshare at 2:42 from the airport to a park in North Salt Lake. Any donations will go directly to the Lueck family. [17] She was picked up by a Lyft driver and taken to Hatch Park,[18] where she had agreed to meet Ajayi. [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. Powered by. Wolf says when he asked why Ajayi wanted to soundproof the room, Ajayi said that he wanted to be able to listen to music as loud as he wanted to. I also plan vacations, appointments, and additional errands as needed, she wrote on Linkedin. The suspect, Ayoola A. Ajayi, a . The governor of Utah also posted his condolences to Lueck's family Friday in a Twitter post saying in part, "Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Mackenzie Lueck at this very . He later revealed the location of her body in Logan Canyon, where she was found with her arms bound behind her. Due to this unforeseen circumstance, we have decided to raise money for funeral costs and other potential expenses. Her phone has been turned off and the last place she was seen was the airport, she landed at 1 AM. He formerly studied at Utah State University but was barred from campus in 2012 for several reasons, including problems with his visa and allegations that he had stolen an iPad. Police initially did not give an address or details about the location where Lueck had been dropped off. Furthermore, after Gregory tried to call MacKenzie, only to be redirected to her voicemail, the Lueck family became genuinely worried about her well-being. n Politica noastr de confidenialitate i n Politica privind modulele cookie. Please please please be on the lookout. 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