Found Deceased UT - MacKenzie "Kenzie" Lueck, 23, Salt Lake City, 17 June 2019 #18 *ARREST*

[TristanP]

I literally have not seen one single post about ML being "forced outside of her will" to meet up. It's obvious she met on her own free will, because she paid for the Lyft ride and gave the direction to the location to be dropped off. No one was holding her hostage, at that point.

What everyone is wondering is why the late meeting in the park and not just his house? Or why didn't he just pick her up at the airport? This leads to thoughts that he didn't want his home to be easily tracked down via his own license plate or through a Lyft driver's digital records.

We also know that AA is very generous with expanding the truth to fit his needs. To put it bluntly, he lies. Frequently. Thankfully LE has the texts that may explain the meeting. This digital footprint is how they came in contact with him in the first place. They know. We are speculating. Hopefully with some logic.

She obviously trusted AA to leave her Lyft vehicle and get into his car that night. She didn't appear distressed according to the Lyft driver. Did they know each other from previous meetings? Possibly and I would leans towards yes. There was a lot of trust involved in this meeting. Another person she knows had apparently stated he had a "bad feeling" about AA. But I guess a lot of schmoozing and lying could also do the trick. We simply don't have enough info.

I also think the meeting place was his idea. He lived across the street from the park two years prior. The park was intimately familiar with him. It was his old turf. And it was less than a 10 minute drive to his new house. To me, it makes sense for him to arrange that specific meeting place. Not so much for her to do so. I think he lied about something to get her to go to this place.

The initial motive, whether it was murder or not, isn't what I'm talking about either. So what happened after they got to his house is anyone's guess. But the end result is the murder of a woman that had a very bright future and was loved by many people.

Oh, I’ve seen many posts where there is so much speculation about how Kenzie was forced to go to him. Possibilities I’ve seen are, he was a sugar daddy and had given her money before she left town and was insisting on her seeing him immediately when she returned. Or, he had nude photos of her and was blackmailing her, insisting she see him or he’d embarrass her with the photos. Or, she used some type of drug that he supplied to her in exchange for sexual favors, and he was insisting upon a meetup or else he would tell everyone she used drugs. Or, he was a sugar daddy and had found out she had another sugar daddy and was insisting on seeing her because he felt betrayed.

It’s seriously ridiculous the things people have come up with.

The saddest part is that even if it turns out to be the most simple explanation (they knew each other, had been dating casually or were friends with benefits, and she wanted to see him when she got back so she could relax and be with a friend), there will still be people who blame her. “She shouldn’t have been dating casually...she shouldn’t have been having sex outside of marriage...she shouldn’t have been with a black guy...she shouldn’t have been with someone who isn’t from our country (I’ve seen that one!)...she should have gone home to get sleep so she could study for her exam, she should have gone home to see her cat first...”

The world exhausts me sometimes with the contrast of how vast the world is vs how narrow some people’s views are.

 

[ValhallaWolves]

Oh, I’ve seen many posts where there is so much speculation about how Kenzie was forced to go to him. Possibilities I’ve seen are, he was a sugar daddy and had given her money before she left town and was insisting on her seeing him immediately when she returned. Or, he had nude photos of her and was blackmailing her, insisting she see him or he’d embarrass her with the photos. Or, she used some type of drug that he supplied to her in exchange for sexual favors, and he was insisting upon a meetup or else he would tell everyone she used drugs. Or, he was a sugar daddy and had found out she had another sugar daddy and was insisting on seeing her because he felt betrayed.

It’s seriously ridiculous the things people have come up with.

The saddest part is that even if it turns out to be the most simple explanation (they knew each other, had been dating casually or were friends with benefits, and she wanted to see him when she got back so she could relax and be with a friend), there will still be people who blame her. “She shouldn’t have been dating casually...she shouldn’t have been having sex outside of marriage...she shouldn’t have been with a black guy...she shouldn’t have been with someone who isn’t from our country (I’ve seen that one!)...she should have gone home to get sleep so she could study for her exam, she should have gone home to see her cat first...”

The world exhausts me sometimes with the contrast of how vast the world is vs how narrow some people’s views are.

It’s honestly absurd. Someone will always find a way to blame the victim.

 

[ilovechili]

They didn't contact Lyft until after she was reported missing, right? How did they know to talk to Lyft? Was anyone looking at her phone records on June 17?

They got a subpoena just to look at her phone records (fairly quickly, I might add) but that was on Thursday. So, unless some person was watching the video and saw something really unusual (and that would mean that people were watching every park/public area in SLC), they wouldn't have seen much more than the Lyft driver saw. You'd almost need one person per camera, trained to look for criminal malfeasance.

At least, I think that was the timeframe. MOO. She was reported missing, the subpoena was gotten, then they found she'd arranged a Lyft, then they talked to the Lyft driver (but they didn't need the driver to talk - the Lyft records showed that she was dropped there).

I don't know why they would be looking at anything until she was reported missing--because she was not missing--which was definitely not on June 17th, at least not that the public has been told. She was reported missing that Thursday wasn't it?

Only from then on could they possibly have been looking into things and talking to people and doing what they could without warrants, until they had warrants for further information because before then no one realized she was missing.

The report of her missing was the 20th wasn't it? Trying to recall.

Jmo.

 

[MassGuy]

I respectfully disagree. You can never be absolute when it comes to evidence. A defense attorney could say someone else was using his phone. Just like OJ's bloody glove should have been enough, but it wasn't. If there were cameras OJ would have been convicted. No framing there.

The question isn’t if you can have too much evidence; you can’t.

I’m saying they have more than enough to nail his *advertiser censored* to the wall.

I’ve seen convictions based on evidence that added up to a fraction of what we have here.

And we still don’t know the full extent of it.

And yes, a defense attorney can try to explain away his phone being there. But that’s one tiny piece of the overall picture.

 

[10ofRods]

My guess is that she told her parents she was getting a Lyft that night, or she paid for it using a card that her parents had transaction details for.

Those were the first records law enforcement apparently obtained, and I’m a bit (pleasantly) surprised that they were able to get them so quickly.

Perhaps they didn’t need a warrant to compel Lyft’s cooperation.

If true, then all theories in which KL is trying to hide her whereabouts from family are out the window.

It's possible they didn't need a warrant. However, I do remember a period of time in which some phone data were not available because no one had her pin. So...even if the parents knew she took a Lyft, they would have no way of knowing where she took it - unless they used the same app/sign in.

Which I seriously doubt any 23 year old would wish to do. If she *did* allow them access to her Lyft data, then it's very surprising they weren't alarmed earlier and I don't want to go there.

No, they had no idea where she went after airport and became increasingly concerned until they pushed the police to act on Thursday.

MOO

 

[BradB]

Oh, I’ve seen many posts where there is so much speculation about how Kenzie was forced to go to him. Possibilities I’ve seen are, he was a sugar daddy and had given her money before she left town and was insisting on her seeing him immediately when she returned. Or, he had nude photos of her and was blackmailing her, insisting she see him or he’d embarrass her with the photos. Or, she used some type of drug that he supplied to her in exchange for sexual favors, and he was insisting upon a meetup or else he would tell everyone she used drugs. Or, he was a sugar daddy and had found out she had another sugar daddy and was insisting on seeing her because he felt betrayed.

It’s seriously ridiculous the things people have come up with.

The saddest part is that even if it turns out to be the most simple explanation (they knew each other, had been dating casually or were friends with benefits, and she wanted to see him when she got back so she could relax and be with a friend), there will still be people who blame her. “She shouldn’t have been dating casually...she shouldn’t have been having sex outside of marriage...she shouldn’t have been with a black guy...she shouldn’t have been with someone who isn’t from our country (I’ve seen that one!)...she should have gone home to get sleep so she could study for her exam, she should have gone home to see her cat first...”

The world exhausts me sometimes with the contrast of how vast the world is vs how narrow some people’s views are.

It's a free country. You can do as you please. If you want to jog at night you can jog. If you want to go bar hopping until the early morning hours you can go bar hopping but just understand the risks involved because if you're narrow minded about that and your safety then you're in big big trouble.

 

[TristanP]

It's a free country. You can do as you please. If you want to jog at night you can jog. If you want to go bar hopping until the early morning hours you can go bar hopping but just understand the risks involved because if you're narrow minded about that and your safety then you're in big big trouble.

This is a perfect example of the point I’m trying to make.

IF the scenario was simply that she was going to meet up with a friend, there *wasn’t* any risk she needed to be aware of.

If she had known him for a while and previously met up with him, it wouldn’t have been taking a risk to go visit her friend.

 

[10ofRods]

It's a free country. You can do as you please. If you want to jog at night you can jog. If you want to go bar hopping until the early morning hours you can go bar hopping but just understand the risks involved because if you're narrow minded about that and your safety then you're in big big trouble.

But you can't always hide it from your family. Both of my daughters were on our family plan for phones until they were 30. It was a nice thing for me to do, right? But I also would have had access to their records immediately if they went missing.

They both still use a credit card linked to my account for gas (I don't pay the bill, but we have joint accounts at the bank). That means I'd have some idea about main credit card activity, even now. Only one daughter shares account with her husband (that's really common these days).

So, people can do what they want, but they can also decide to leave a trail for others to follow. Almost no one understands "the risk" of bumping up against a crazy psychopath. That can happen to anyone, no matter how cautious.

 

[PommyMommy]

They didn't contact Lyft until after she was reported missing, right? How did they know to talk to Lyft? Was anyone looking at her phone records on June 17?

They got a subpoena just to look at her phone records (fairly quickly, I might add) but that was on Thursday. So, unless some person was watching the video and saw something really unusual (and that would mean that people were watching every park/public area in SLC), they wouldn't have seen much more than the Lyft driver saw. You'd almost need one person per camera, trained to look for criminal malfeasance.

At least, I think that was the timeframe. MOO. She was reported missing, the subpoena was gotten, then they found she'd arranged a Lyft, then they talked to the Lyft driver (but they didn't need the driver to talk - the Lyft records showed that she was dropped there).

ML's father reported her missing on the afternoon of June 20. By the next day, LE had spoken to the driver and to Lyft, who issued a statement. The warrant for cell phone records wasn't obtained until June 25. MOO

John Franchi on Twitter

Police obtain warrant for Mackenzie Lueck’s cellphone; other warrants expected soon

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

 

[PommyMommy]

JUN 21, 2019
Salt Lake City Police seek public's help finding missing University of Utah student | Gephardt Daily
Mackenzie Lueck, 23, last communicated with family members about 1 a.m. Monday after arriving at Salt Lake City International Airport on a flight from California. She reportedly sent a text saying she was taking a Lyft ride home and has not been heard from since.

Friends and family search for missing U. student
In her last text to her mother she said she had arrived at the Salt Lake International Airport and was taking a Lyft car home.

 

[BradB]

I can agree with that 10ofRods. I don't want to harp on all that anymore. I just hope AA goes down hard. He deserves it.

 

[Seattle1]

If true, then all theories in which KL is trying to hide her whereabouts from family are out the window.

It's possible they didn't need a warrant. However, I do remember a period of time in which some phone data were not available because no one had her pin. So...even if the parents knew she took a Lyft, they would have no way of knowing where she took it - unless they used the same app/sign in.

Which I seriously doubt any 23 year old would wish to do. If she *did* allow them access to her Lyft data, then it's very surprising they weren't alarmed earlier and I don't want to go there.

No, they had no idea where she went after airport and became increasingly concerned until they pushed the police to act on Thursday.

MOO

I disagree that parent's ability to access to ML's credit/debit card activity as early as 6/20/19 when she was reported missing, throws the theory of ML desiring privacy about her whereabouts out the window.

On the surface, the payment info from bankcard will confirm the date, vendor name, and the amount of the transaction -- and not the specific details about her ride share.

Her parents would fully expected to see ride share activity in her charges without invading her privacy about her whereabouts.

If ML was a named, authorized user of her parents bankcard, I'm sure the specific details such as pick-up and drop-off location would easily be provided by Lyft with just a simple inquiry to verify a charge.

As for the privacy theory, I'm still inclined to believe that ML powered off her own phone when she reached the Park and made contact with AA.

I believe she did not want to be disturbed, or available to others that she already knew were waiting to hear from her. (Reportedly, ML had not been responding to messages from her friends sent over the weekend, inquiring how she was doing after burying her grandmother).

From my own experience, there's an expectation from family/friends that If I ignore their messages while I'm on the road, I will follow-up upon my return home. I believe ML wanted to avoid reconnecting until she was at her own apartment and/or in her own neighborhood and/or campus environment.

MOO

 

[kikukohime]

I disagree that parent's ability to access to ML's credit/debit card activity as early as 6/20/19 when she was reported missing, throws the theory of ML desiring privacy about her whereabouts out the window.

On the surface, the payment info from bankcard will confirm the date, vendor name, and the amount of the transaction -- and not the specific details about her ride share.

Her parents would fully expected to see ride share activity in her charges without invading her privacy about her whereabouts.

If ML was a named, authorized user of her parents bankcard, I'm sure the specific details such as pick-up and drop-off location would easily be provided by Lyft with just a simple inquiry to verify a charge.

As for the privacy theory, I'm still inclined to believe that ML powered off her own phone when she reached the Park and made contact with AA.

I believe she did not want to be disturbed, or available to others that she already knew were waiting to hear from her. (Reportedly, ML had not been responding to messages from her friends sent over the weekend, inquiring how she was doing after burying her grandmother).

From my own experience, there's an expectation from family/friends that If I ignore their messages while I'm on the road, I will follow-up upon my return home. I believe ML wanted to avoid that until she was at her own apartment and/or in her own neighborhood and/or campus environment.

MOO

I'm pretty sure it was confirmed too that ML merely told her mom she was getting a Lyft home, not this credit card stuff.

It's not like she would have said "catching a Lyft to the park to hook up with X". She was only giving out enough info to her parents to let them know she was back in SLC so they didn't have to worry, like it wasn't intended to deceive or be super evasive. It may seem odd in retrospect, but it's just something silly I'm sure she didnt intend to be under the microscope.

 

[al66pine]

How did LE learn that ML left airport by Lyft or went to the park ?

After ML was reported missing, LE knew ML's last phone contact w to parents to say her flight landed at SLC, so LE could use that time to start checking airport security vids.
Likely that, in reviewing vid, LE 'followed' ML past the luggage claim, outside to taxi/Uber/Lyft stand/area, and identified Lyft vehicle she got in.

Assuming LE got plate info, they could have contacted Lyft driver directly & immediately. Not saying this is how it happened, just a possibility.

IOW, at that early point, no need for subpoenas for e-docs to Lyft corporate HQ, or ML phone record, credit card data, and get investigation rolling. JMO.

 

[newmember]

Oh, I’ve seen many posts where there is so much speculation about how Kenzie was forced to go to him. Possibilities I’ve seen are, he was a sugar daddy and had given her money before she left town and was insisting on her seeing him immediately when she returned. Or, he had nude photos of her and was blackmailing her, insisting she see him or he’d embarrass her with the photos. Or, she used some type of drug that he supplied to her in exchange for sexual favors, and he was insisting upon a meetup or else he would tell everyone she used drugs. Or, he was a sugar daddy and had found out she had another sugar daddy and was insisting on seeing her because he felt betrayed.

It’s seriously ridiculous the things people have come up with.

The saddest part is that even if it turns out to be the most simple explanation (they knew each other, had been dating casually or were friends with benefits, and she wanted to see him when she got back so she could relax and be with a friend), there will still be people who blame her. “She shouldn’t have been dating casually...she shouldn’t have been having sex outside of marriage...she shouldn’t have been with a black guy...she shouldn’t have been with someone who isn’t from our country (I’ve seen that one!)...she should have gone home to get sleep so she could study for her exam, she should have gone home to see her cat first...”

The world exhausts me sometimes with the contrast of how vast the world is vs how narrow some people’s views are.

why are these possibilities ridiculous though? regardless of the nature of their relationship, she met someone at an isolated park at 3am and ended up dead shortly after. its totally possible meeting there will end up having an innocuous reason, such as they wanted to meet up alone without friends/roommates, but its also just as likely they met there for a more critical reason.

there is a lot of speculation as to why they met but i dont think that is the same as blaming ML for meeting him. regardless of why ML met him there, she absolutely did not deserve what happened to her while at the same time, it is an odd place to meet someone (even a friend) which is leading to what is fair speculation, imo.

 

[Niner]

The report of her missing was the 20th wasn't it? Trying to recall.

from my notes:

last seen on CCTV June 17, 2019, Salt Lake City, reported missing June 20, 2019, found June 26, 2019

 

[Hatfield]

Compared to other cases where someone first goes missing LE did a super job in this case to get to the point where an arrest was made. A lot of cases dont get near as far along that fast.

And even finding her remains was very quick. I didnt catch how her remains were located. I know they found some evidence right in his yard because of his attempted burning but not sure how the rest of her remains were discovered.

Does anyone know if that came from a tip from someone or how the rest of her remains were discovered? Maybe that information was never released.

"Lueck's remains were discovered in a shallow grave in a wooded area"

Gruesome details revealed in slaying of Utah college student

 

[Hatfield]

JUN 21, 2019
Salt Lake City Police seek public's help finding missing University of Utah student | Gephardt Daily
Mackenzie Lueck, 23, last communicated with family members about 1 a.m. Monday after arriving at Salt Lake City International Airport on a flight from California. She reportedly sent a text saying she was taking a Lyft ride home and has not been heard from since.

Friends and family search for missing U. student
In her last text to her mother she said she had arrived at the Salt Lake International Airport and was taking a Lyft car home.

Thanks Pommy. The bolded parts explain how LE knew to contact Lyft.

 

[SoCalGirl]

Compared to other cases where someone first goes missing LE did a super job in this case to get to the point where an arrest was made. A lot of cases dont get near as far along that fast.

And even finding her remains was very quick. I didnt catch how her remains were located. I know they found some evidence right in his yard because of his attempted burning but not sure how the rest of her remains were discovered.

Does anyone know if that came from a tip from someone or how the rest of her remains were discovered? Maybe that information was never released.

"Lueck's remains were discovered in a shallow grave in a wooded area"

Gruesome details revealed in slaying of Utah college student

The rest of her remains were found in Logan Canyon because AA's phone pinged in that area on the 25th. I'm guessing LE used dogs to discover the exact location of her remains.

 

[PommyMommy]

Thanks Pommy. The bolded parts explain how LE knew to contact Lyft.

Exactly.

Compared to other cases where someone first goes missing LE did a super job in this case to get to the point where an arrest was made. A lot of cases dont get near as far along that fast.

And even finding her remains was very quick. I didnt catch how her remains were located. I know they found some evidence right in his yard because of his attempted burning but not sure how the rest of her remains were discovered.

Does anyone know if that came from a tip from someone or how the rest of her remains were discovered? Maybe that information was never released.

"Lueck's remains were discovered in a shallow grave in a wooded area"

Gruesome details revealed in slaying of Utah college student

LE didn't tell us directly, but said it was a collaborative effort. They also said that AA's phone records showed that he was in Logan Canyon on June 25 between 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. From memory, so I hope that's right. I'll try to find a link. MOO

ETA Link: Formal murder, kidnapping charges filed in MacKenzie Lueck homicide
Cell phone records also placed Ajayi in Logan Canyon on June 25 between 2:30 and 4:30 p.m., prosecutors said. When police searched the area, they found Lueck's body in a shallow grave under a grove of trees.