Breaking news has emerged in the case of the missing University of Utah student. Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown confirmed that a search conducted Wednesday at a home in the Fairbank neighborhood revealed the discovery of human remains that were determined to be those of Mackenzie Lueck, who had been missing for 11 days.
The search also turned up several charred items later determined to be consistent with items belonging to Lueck and a fresh dig site ostensibly meant to conceal evidence of the young woman’s demise.
SWAT team members were spotted entering a home and making one arrest in northern Salt Lake City Friday morning. Early reporting suggests the homeowner has been taken into custody in connection with the disappearance of 23-year-old Lueck.
Brown announced the arrest of Ayoola “AJ” Ajayi, a 31-year-old former Army information technology specialist. Ajayi was charged with aggravated murder, aggravated kidnapping, obstruction of justice, and desecration of a human body.
When contacted by police, Ajayi had initially denied ever meeting Lueck, saying he had never even seen a photo of her but did exchange texts with her the day before her disappearance. Upon further investigation, police were able to determine that Ajayi had several digital photos of Lueck and was the last person to make contact with her the day she disappeared. Police were able to determine that both Lueck’s and Ajayi’s phones were in close proximity just before she vanished.
The home was searched on Wednesday after neighbors reported strong odors and a fire in the backyard of the Fairbank home. Police were seen removing several large brown bags of evidence and towing a car from the scene. In a press conference Thursday, Brown noted they had identified a person of interest but did not disclose his name to the public. Police appealed to the public for help identifying a mattress and box spring they believe was given away by the owner the previous week.
Brown further stated they had been looking into recent activity on Lueck’s cell phone, social media, and dating apps that could provide clues, but did not share their findings, citing that they were still involved in an active investigation. Brown said it was through research of Lueck’s electronic history that led them to the home in the Fairbank neighborhood of Salt Lake City.
Lueck vanished after taking a Lyft ride from Salt Lake City airport in the early morning hours of June 17. She has been missing and not heard from since that time. Her Lyft driver, who has been fully cleared of suspicion in the case by police, said he dropped Lueck off at a North Salt Lake industrial park. The home searched Wednesday evening was about 5 miles from the location where she ended her Lyft ride.
