Found Deceased UT - MacKenzie "Kenzie" Lueck, 23, Salt Lake City, 17 June 2019 #4

[sweetcandyapple]

Isn't this an exit Northbound on 215?

That is a few miles away from the park. Said person would have to go west on center street a few miles, and then left on Redwood Road about a mile. This exit as actually currently closed right now, you can't get through to it because they have that entire section of the road closed. But I don't know if it was closed that night too, or if it's just the past few days it has been closed. But that is the way that makes the most sense for the Lyft driver to take from the airport, because had they taken I-15, they would have had to back track and get off at 2600 South. So if that road was open, that's the way they went that night.

 

[Hatfield]

Here is another reason why I am having trouble believing the story about going to the park to meet someone.

If she had intended on meeting someone else instead of going directly home first then why didnt she just have the person pick her up at the airport instead of telling the person to meet her at the park where she had to pay a Lyft driver to get to the park.

She had to call this other person to arrange to meet so its easier to tell the person to just come up to the airport and she could have waited outside the terminal for a pickup there.

The whole "park story" is bothering me right now.

 

[ocsalumni]

That is a pretty big bag and if she put it in the back seat it could indicate that there was no one back there and the driver was the only person in the car.

There should never be another person in a Lyft driver's car unless it is a 'pool' (carpool) ride.

 

[Jessthinkin]

Backing out of a parking space

Turning the car around

On the phone and/or arranging next pickup

Not an observant-type person

etc.

etc.

etc.

Not everyone’s as nosy as I am!

 

[bestill]

I think this Heather Elvis type theory is where I’m at at the moment, especially after seeing her attire.

Are you thinking a couple in the car? Guilty husband and angry spouse forcing the meet up? I can't imagine her getting in the car with an angry spouse unless they were hiding.

 

[Curiousobserver]

Thinking out loud... If she hopped in that car she had a plan to get home later? How was she planning to get home?

 

[Seattle1]

Missing Utah college student last seen in a Salt Lake City park at 3 a.m.

SALT LAKE CITY — A University of Utah student missing for over a week was last seen meeting an unknown person at a park at 3 in the morning, authorities said Monday.

The Lyft driver who took Mackenzie Lueck from the airport and dropped her off at a park in a Salt Lake City suburb on June 17 told detectives the woman didn't seem in any distress when she met the person, said Salt Lake City assistant police chief Tim Doubt.

[...]

She was dropped at just about 3 a.m. at the park in North Salt Lake that sits in a popular downtown area nestled between apartment complexes and restaurants. A police station is located up the street and the park is a popular spot for families and community events with two playgrounds, a basketball court, baseball diamond and a large, grassy field.

Police have no reason to doubt the Lyft driver's story and have cleared him as a suspect, Doubt said. The Lyft driver, whose identity has not been revealed, gave other rides after dropping off the woman, he said.

Lyft spokeswoman Lauren Alexander said the route the driver took contained no irregularities and ended at the address requested by Lueck.

Jacob Wood, who lives in the area, said he frequently brings his children to play in Hatch Park.

"It's a relatively safe neighborhood, there's no reason to believe it's not a safe area," he said Monday.

Ashley Fine, one of Lueck's friends, told The Salt Lake Tribune that Lueck's phone has been off since last Monday. She didn't show up for her job at a Salt Lake City laboratory or her classes, she said. Fine described Lueck as a dedicated student and said missing classes was not something she did.

Lueck's cat and car remain at her house. Her luggage hasn't been located either, Fine said.

 

[Karebear20]

Yes.

Isn't this an exit Northbound on 215?
Google Maps
Left onto Redwood then turn right on Center.

That is correct.

 

[shanadk]

I think she met up with someone in the airport. (When she was touching her chest in the photo.)
This person may have followed her from the LAX airport to Salt Lake, and may have surprised her.
Someone who met her in LA ? What about the ex boyfriend?

 

[Curiousobserver]

Here is another reason why I am having trouble believing the story about going to the park to meet someone.

If she had intended on meeting someone else instead of going directly home first then why didnt she just have the person pick her up at the airport instead of telling the person to meet her at the park where she had to pay a Lyft driver to get to the park.

She had to call this other person to arrange to meet so its easier to tell the person to just come up to the airport and she could have waited outside the terminal for a pickup there.

The whole "park story" is bothering me right now.

It takes a lot of mental gymnastics to come up with a good reason why you can meet someone at the park but can't drive 10 minutes further.

 

[margarita25]

Are you thinking a couple in the car? Guilty husband and angry spouse forcing the meet up? I can't imagine her getting in the car with an angry spouse unless they were hiding.

Not specifically 2 people...the driver did not indicate that...I’m not sure exactly, Bestill. But 4 posters now have mentioned a “Heather Elvis” type vibe and I can see it now that it has been mentioned...

I’m thinking more along the lines of a “lure”—-her outfit and appearance just doesn’t scream late night rendezvous. I don’t know, but I’m thinking more about this. It actually goes along with an initial possible theory I had which reminds me of Kelsie Schelling. She was meeting up with her boyfriend to show him her ultrasound photo.

Also, we do know HE’s peeps stopped at Walmart to buy a pregnancy test.

—FTR there is absolutely no proof she was pregnant, I am simply throwing this out there as a possible theory, moo, jmo, especially since Heather’s name keeps coming up. She was “lured out”, as you well know.

 

[DenaliSpirit]

I suspect that’s the only reason the Lyft driver remembers as much as he does. That it was a bit worrying to be dropping a young woman, (not to mention a sizable amount of luggage) at a park in the middle of the night. So he noticed with relief that there was someone to meet her—someone that she evidently knew and was on good terms with.

MOO

Hi Hatfield. Great to see you.

I had expressed the same thing in the first thread, that some drivers help with luggage, some do not.

Yesterday I was talking to a driver who said drivers look at her like, “Aren’t you going to help me with my luggage?” She said she just “nods her head, like uh uh, I’m paid to Lyft.”

There are also people who drive because they may have injuries that prevent them from being on their feet all day. I’ve seen this a lot.

As someone who drives regularly I immediately wondered what I would do in that situation. I like to consider myself a good human being who looks out for others, and I have daughters. I try to be conversational with riders, but some put out the vibe right away that they don't want to be talked to. There are also times where it's just you and a young lady and you don't want to come off as creepy so you keep to yourself for the most part. The ratings are precious to drivers, so coming across wrong to a passenger isn't something a lot of drivers want to do.

If I knew the destination was a park (often the pin placed on the map is not the exact destination or doesn't say the name of the location), I might ask her if she wanted me to wait to make sure she was safe, but other than that, when I saw that someone was meeting her, I can see where the driver would just carry on and finish his night. Some of these guys are driving 12 hours or more a day...

 

[ksmith3271]

I have been an advocate of the Lyft driver not remembering car make and model, a description of the person Kenzie met, etc.; however, I do have to say, that while the driver could have had 100 pickups since dropping Kenzie and many days have passed, I have to believe that anyone (regardless of gender or age) picking up a young woman from the airport and dropping her at the park at 3am would not feel good about it, unless they were somehow reassured during the car ride. All of Kenzie's friends have described her as sweet and outgoing; I believe the driver made reference to her being friendly and non-distressed. Anyone who has ever taken a cab, Uber or Lyft knows small talk typically occurs. Where are you coming from? Is Salt Lake Home? I see I am taking you to a park. Is that the correct address? Do you need help with your bag? That said, I don't think the driver remembers or ever knew the make/model of the car and perhaps didn't get a good look at whoever Kenzie left with but I think we can all agree LE is not disclosing every detail of the 15-20m car ride. What was the conversation like? Was she on her phone? Did she apply makeup? Those are things the Lyft driver would probably remember that aren't being discussed.

 

[MntnHiker]

MOO I think she met up someone for a date type situation/sexual encounter.

This person hasn't contacted police. IMO that means one of two things:
1) This person is guilty of doing something to ML or still having her now.
2) They are innocent of harming her but don't want other people (namely a spouse perhaps) to know they were having this relationship on the side. In this scenario, they would have had their date and he would have left her when she was alive and well and something happened to her after that.

I am leaning toward scenario #1. I guess I'm not ruling out scenario #2. The only other possibility is that whoever she met didn't harm her and has no idea she is missing, but I am basically totally crossing that off. This has made national news, so someone local surely has heard about this.

 

[lisa122473]

What we do know from that luggage pic. We are not looking for a sports car or convertible. That suitcase would not fit.

I can see the lyft driver being on their phone planning their next ride, if Kenzie got her bag herself.

I pray she doesn't end up in her luggage as there has been an increase in those disposals MOO

 

[Karebear20]

That is a few miles away from the park. Said person would have to go west on center street a few miles, and then left on Redwood Road about a mile. This exit as actually currently closed right now, you can't get through to it because they have that entire section of the road closed. But I don't know if it was closed that night too, or if it's just the past few days it has been closed. But that is the way that makes the most sense for the Lyft driver to take from the airport, because had they taken I-15, they would have had to back track and get off at 2600 South. So if that road was open, that's the way they went that night.

I would be so curious to see the route the driver took as there is no easy way to get to Hatch Park from airport.

 

[PommyMommy]

Here is another reason why I am having trouble believing the story about going to the park to meet someone.

If she had intended on meeting someone else instead of going directly home first then why didnt she just have the person pick her up at the airport instead of telling the person to meet her at the park where she had to pay a Lyft driver to get to the park.

She had to call this other person to arrange to meet so its easier to tell the person to just come up to the airport and she could have waited outside the terminal for a pickup there.

The whole "park story" is bothering me right now.

I may be wrong but I think the general consensus is the mystery person wanted to avoid cameras and/or didn't have enough time. Lyft has confirmed, as well as the driver, that ML was taken to the destination she entered which was Hatch Park. MOO

 

[Davia18]

Anyone know the number of people who have been murdered and or are still missing after meeting someone on a dating app ??
Just curious

 

[SoCalGirl]

Here is another reason why I am having trouble believing the story about going to the park to meet someone.

The whole "park story" is bothering me right now.

It's not a "story." It is a veriable occurrence and fact.

 

[whitelilac]

I don't know about the Adderal angle. I'd think she would have arranged a supply before she went to the funeral in CA, rather than meeting somebody at 3 am in some out of the way park after a red eye flight and the likely emotionally draining funeral of her grandmother.