GUILTY UT - MacKenzie "Kenzie" Lueck, 23, Salt Lake City, 17 June 2019 *ARREST* #20

[girlhasnoname]

I found the first mention of it in this quote by @PommyMommy . BBM

Thanks for "diggin into that".

I wonder what door that was....sounds like it was damaged and/or had blood evidence on it? This guy was a very scary dude IMO.

 

[Traymar]

Hearing finally set 1 year after Salt Lake man is charged with murdering student Mackenzie Lueck

July 20, 2020

Third District Judge Vernice Trease ordered a three-day preliminary hearing to start Oct. 28, a development that comes after months of delays as attorneys have argued that investigators needed more time to sort through the evidence.

Ajayi is charged with aggravated murder, a capital offense, after prosecutors say he bound Lueck’s hands with zip ties, bludgeoned her and burned her body in June 2019. He could potentially face the death penalty if convicted.

[..]

Ajayi has not yet entered pleas to the charges of aggravated murder and aggravated kidnapping, first-degree felonies; desecration of a human body, a second-degree felony; plus obstruction of justice, a third-degree felony.

A 32-year-old U.S. citizen originally from Nigeria, he previously waived his right to a speedy hearing.

On Monday, he wore an orange jail uniform, glasses and a green face mask in the brief hearing held via videoconference from the Salt Lake County Jail. Court dates like Monday’s and the upcoming preliminary hearing are currently being held remotely under coronavirus restrictions in the state court system.

@Niner

From your link, "When police interviewed the Lyft driver who drove Lueck to the North Salt Lake park, he said another woman there helped Lueck transfer her luggage into Ajayi’s car, according to the search warrants."

I don't remember this, although it's possible I missed something. But, another woman?

MOO

 

[Seattle1]

From your link, "When police interviewed the Lyft driver who drove Lueck to the North Salt Lake park, he said another woman there helped Lueck transfer her luggage into Ajayi’s car, according to the search warrants."

I don't remember this, although it's possible I missed something. But, another woman?

MOO

If I recall correctly, the Lyft driver first told investigators that he thought ML was collected at the park by a female but changed his mind after picking out a photo of AA at the police station when he was presented with photos to choose from. MOO

 

[Traymar]

If I recall correctly, the Lyft driver first told investigators that he thought ML was collected at the park by a female but changed his mind after picking out a photo of AA at the police station when he was presented with photos to choose from. MOO

Oh okay, thank you!

 

[Kittybunny]

I think of Mackenzie often, especially her mother who suffered the loss of her mother and then her daughter all within a very short period of time. How absolutely tragic. Hope they are surrounded by love and light.

 

[The Handyman]

From your link, "When police interviewed the Lyft driver who drove Lueck to the North Salt Lake park, he said another woman there helped Lueck transfer her luggage into Ajayi’s car, according to the search warrants."

I don't remember this, although it's possible I missed something. But, another woman?

MOO

I was confused by this as well, but it seems the Lyft driver confused AA for a woman, somehow.

 

[Deleted member 269000]

Forgive me if the issue is sensitive or has been addressed elsewhere, but has there been clarification as to how KL knew AA? The accounts I’ve read make it seem as though she took the Lyft to North Park with the intention of meeting him.

 

[Kittybunny]

Forgive me if the issue is sensitive or has been addressed elsewhere, but has there been clarification as to how KL knew AA? The accounts I’ve read make it seem as though she took the Lyft to North Park with the intention of meeting him.

Those who are better at linking to media can probably help you out with more details, but they had made contact on a dating app or website somehow, and were texting earlier that evening. That's what lead investigators to him, and yes she deliberately went there to meet him.

 

[Deleted member 269000]

Those who are better at linking to media can probably help you out with more details, but they had made contact on a dating app or website somehow, and were texting earlier that evening. That's what lead investigators to him, and yes she deliberately went there to meet him.

Thank you. I found an article from Salt Lake Magazine that gave a thorough explanation of the nature of their acquaintance.

 

[The Handyman]

Forgive me if the issue is sensitive or has been addressed elsewhere, but has there been clarification as to how KL knew AA? The accounts I’ve read make it seem as though she took the Lyft to North Park with the intention of meeting him.

This was one of the biggest questions people had a year ago. Yes, this was a prearranged meeting.

EDIT: Oops, I missed a couple of other posts, ha ha.

 

[janewall]

Thank you. I found an article from Salt Lake Magazine that gave a thorough explanation of the nature of their acquaintance.

Is there a link for this article perchance? Thanks in advance.

 

[Deleted member 269000]

Is there a link for this article perchance? Thanks in advance.

Lover For Sale • Salt Lake Magazine

 

[SoCalGirl]

Lover For Sale • Salt Lake Magazine

The article states, "Mackenzie may have carried some apprehension of this encounter, but we will never know her thoughts." Actually, she did have some apprehension, as she joked with her Lyft driver about the "strange" situation. She knew it was weird and probably dangerous; her "gift of fear" was working but she was ignoring it. She wanted some kind of validation from the Lyft driver. Who knows? If he had said, "yeah, this is totally crazy and you shouldn't do this," she might have backed off. Maybe not. Also, really, what kind of "sugar daddy" sits in the car at 3 AM while you load your own bags in his car? It's not like she just had a backpack; she had a couple of bags, including a big one.

My son, who just graduated from college, told me that he and his friend (a young woman) took an Uber from Tucson to Phoenix and one of her sugar daddies, some guy in FL, paid for it. So, yeah, I think a lot of college girls are engaged in activities like this.

Finally, I don't think anyone thinks women "deserve" to get tortured and murdered because they make bad choices (like the anonymous friend suggests), but these bad choices can certainly put them in danger and they should exercise more care. Even if he's a sugar daddy, meet him during the day in a public place.

 

[MajorHoople]

The article states, "Mackenzie may have carried some apprehension of this encounter, but we will never know her thoughts." Actually, she did have some apprehension, as she joked with her Lyft driver about the "strange" situation. She knew it was weird and probably dangerous; her "gift of fear" was working but she was ignoring it. She wanted some kind of validation from the Lyft driver. Who knows? If he had said, "yeah, this is totally crazy and you shouldn't do this," she might have backed off. Maybe not. Also, really, what kind of "sugar daddy" sits in the car at 3 AM while you load your own bags in his car? It's not like she just had a backpack; she had a couple of bags, including a big one.

My son, who just graduated from college, told me that he and his friend (a young woman) took an Uber from Tucson to Phoenix and one of her sugar daddies, some guy in FL, paid for it. So, yeah, I think a lot of college girls are engaged in activities like this.

Finally, I don't think anyone thinks women "deserve" to get tortured and murdered because they make bad choices (like the anonymous friend suggests), but these bad choices can certainly put them in danger and they should exercise more care. Even if he's a sugar daddy, meet him during the day in a public place.

Excellent post and good advice too.

 

[AmandaReckonwith]

MacKenzie Lueck Case Archive:
Mackenzie Lueck -UT- by amanda reckonwith

Cell phone users, try this and scroll:
Mackenzie Speth Lueck

 

[Gardenista]

Man accused of killing college student Mackenzie Lueck gets interpreter in court

 

[Niner]

from the article above.

The parties are expected to hash out the details when Ajayi returns to court Sept. 16.

 

[Niner]

Wednesday, Sept. 16th:
*Status Hearing (re MacKenzie) (@ am MT) - UT – MacKenzie “Kenzie” Lueck (23) (June 17, 2019, Salt Lake City, reported missing June 20, 2019, found June 26, 2019 charred female human tissue & bone, part of her scalp with hair, burned cell phone & personal belongings (clothing) burned & buried in his Salt Lake City backyard; body found July 3, 2019 in Logan Canyon (about 85 miles north of Salt Lake City).) - *Ayoola Adisa Ajayi aka “Joy” & “AJ” (31/now 32) arrested & charged (6/28/19) & formally charged (7/10/19) with criminal homicide 1st degree felony aggravated murder, 1st degree aggravated kidnapping, 2nd degree desecration of a body & 3rd degree obstruction of justice. No plea entered yet. Held without bond.
Court hearings from 6/30/19 thru 3/11/20 reference post #989 here:
Found Deceased - UT - MacKenzie "Kenzie" Lueck, 23, Salt Lake City, 17 June 2019 #19 *ARREST*
4/27/20: Hearing was in video court Monday morning for a status conference. The status conference was the first time all three of his cases were combined into one hearing. Representatives from the state however shortened the hearing by asking for a continuance into late June, a request that was granted by Judge Vernice Trease. Next scheduling hearing has been set for June 29 at 8:30 a.m. Hearing postponed to 7/13/20.
7/13/20 Update: No plea was entered. Waived rights to a speedy trial. A 3-day preliminary hearing is set for 10/28/20.
9/2/20 Update: Third District Judge Vernice Trease on Wednesday granted Ajayi’s request for an interpreter in “substantive” court proceedings like an upcoming preliminary hearing to determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence for a trial. Defense attorney Neal Hamilton argued Ajayi needs translation into his native language, Yoruban, so he can confer with his attorneys on the spot & suggest questions for them to ask in court. Most hearings in Utah are being held remotely amid the pandemic, but Hamilton said he would like Ajayi, the interpreter & defense attorneys to be allowed to appear together in court at the October 28th preliminary hearing. The parties are expected to hash out the details when Ajayi returns to court Sept. 16.
*Charged (8/13/19) with 19 counts of possessing child *advertiser censored* (sexual exploitation of a minor).
Court hearings from 8/13/19 thru 3/24/20 reference post #989 here:
Found Deceased - UT - MacKenzie "Kenzie" Lueck, 23, Salt Lake City, 17 June 2019 #19 *ARREST*
4/27/20: Hearing was in video court Monday morning for a status conference. The status conference was the first time all three of his cases were combined into one hearing. Representatives from the state however shortened the hearing by asking for a continuance into late June, a request that was granted by Judge Vernice Trease. Next scheduling hearing has been set for June 29 at 8:30 a.m. Hearing postponed to 7/13/20.
7/13/20 Update: A preliminary hearing in that case is set for 10/1/20.
*Charged (8/20/19) with 1st degree felony aggravated kidnapping & 3 counts of 2nd degree felony forcible sexual abuse. Plead not guilty.
Trial was set to begin on Feb. 25 (a 2-day trial), continued (no date given).
Court info from 8/20/19 thru 3/2/20 reference post #989 here:
Found Deceased - UT - MacKenzie "Kenzie" Lueck, 23, Salt Lake City, 17 June 2019 #19 *ARREST*
4/27/20 Update: Hearing was in video court Monday morning for a status conference. The status conference was the first time all three of his cases were combined into one hearing. Representatives from the state however shortened the hearing by asking for a continuance into late June, a request that was granted by Judge Vernice Trease. Next scheduling hearing has been set for June 29 at 8:30 a.m. 6/29/20 Update: Hearing was postponed to 7/13/20.
7/13/20 Update: On Monday, Trease also scheduled a separate trial on Dec. 2-3. In that case, he is accused of sexually assaulted a woman during a dinner date at his home in March 2018 after the woman saw news coverage of Lueck’s death, recognized Ajayi and got in touch with police. Ajayi has pleaded not guilty.

 

[Seattle1]

Man accused of killing college student Mackenzie Lueck gets interpreter in court

Sept 2, 2020

SALT LAKE CITY — An interpreter will be provided for the man charged with murdering 23-year-old Utah college student Mackenzie Lueck last year.

Third District Judge Vernice Trease on Wednesday granted Ayoola Adisa Ajayi’s request for an interpreter in “substantive” court proceedings like an upcoming preliminary hearing to determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence for a trial.

Defense attorneys for Ajayi, a U.S. citizen originally from Nigeria, aren’t asking for three pending cases against him to start over, however.

They say he speaks and understands English but has trouble following what’s happening in longer, more complex hearings. He grasps the concepts after his lawyers explain them, but isn’t able to track quick exchanges or those that delve into legal nitty-gritty, defense attorney Neal Hamilton said in Salt Lake City’s 3rd District Court Wednesday.

Hamilton argued Ajayi needs translation into his native language, Yoruban, so he can confer with his attorneys on the spot and suggest questions for them to ask in court.

“This request was made out of a complete abundance of caution,” Hamilton said, noting his client is charged with a capital offense, meaning he could face the death penalty if convicted.

 

[Niner]

@Seattle1 - any update on next court date for MacKenzie's case?

TIA!