Ayoola A. Ajayi acknowledged he planned the death of 23-year-old Mackenzie Lueck, whom he met on a dating app and arranged to meet in a park. Lueck has three brothers. She disappeared following a Lyft ride from Salt Lake City International Airport. Slain University of Utah student Mackenzie Lueck has been described by friends as a positive, outgoing person and a bubble of happiness.. They also set up a Twitter account, @FindMacLueck, and have been using the hashtags #FindMacKenzie and #MacLueck. [2] An autopsy found that the blunt force trauma to the left side of her skull caused brain hemorrhaging that ultimately killed her. 'I will never be able to forgive what happened to her. Gregory Lueck said he hopes Ajayi, who pleaded guilty to murder and admitted planning the killing, spends the rest of his life in prison looking over his shoulder in fear. He is expected to be formally sentenced Oct. 23. Mackenzie Lueck's Lyft Driver Speaks Out. Dreshare.comis an Entertainment Media Site that provides the latest News on Celebrities, Biographies, Movies, TV shows, Awards, Affair Gossip, and all other Stuff. Were so, so worried about you. SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Prosecutors have reached a plea agreement with the man accused of killing University of Utah student Mackenzie Lueck.. Ayoola Ajayi, age 32, appeared in Third District Court Tuesday, wearing a face mask. The Lyft driver who picked up slain Utah sorority sister MacKenzie Lueck recounts the haunting details of the ride in a new interview. MacKenzie Lueck, a 23-year-old University of Utah student, has been missing since June 17 after she returned to Salt Lake City from her grandmother's funeral in Los Angeles. Because of privacy laws that protect Mackenzies personal information, the university cannot provide further details. Ajayi planned the slaying before the meeting at the park and turned off the video in his home-security system before he left to meet her, his lawyer Neal Hamilton said. [31] The pornography charges were later dismissed. I dont know why she would be going (to North Salt Lake) around 2 a.m. Its just very, very suspicious and dangerous, Fine told KSL-TV. Fine told the news station that Lueck lives in Trolley Square with her roommates. Then he called police. In October 2020, Ajayi pleaded guilty to Lueck's murder and was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without parole. But I hope it will keep this defendant out of the public eye and unable to commit these heinous crimes again. Gregory, though, said he looked forward to the day Ayoola died. [7][11][15] On March 10, 2018, Ajayi invited the woman into his home. 2023 Cable News Network. After detectives came to his door to question him, he dug her up and buried her in a shallow grave in a canyon nearly 100 miles north of Salt Lake City. When investigators searched Ajayis home and property, they found charred material that was determined to be female human tissue consistent with Luecks DNA profile, according to Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown. I help with organization tasks and projects. Never have I been so fearful for my life because I know how real evil is in this world.'. Lueck was on track to graduate in 2020, KSL reported. 'I deserve what I'm going to get. MacKenzie Lueck is 23-years. We wanted to be close to her., Fine added, Weve been spreading the word across the nation, around the world. If ANYONE has any information, PLEASE reach out to me. She wrote, California Grown ? Investigators who tracked Luecks cell phone said it was in the park at the same time as Ajayis cell phone before the data and location services ceased around 3 a.m., police said. 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. FILE - In this July 1, 2019, file photo, Ashley Fine speaks during a vigil for Mackenzie Lueck at the university in Salt Lake City. We know it can be difficult to process uncertainties such as this, and the Us Counseling Center is available to assist those in need. 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. Ayoola Ajayi was arrested June 28, 2019, in the murder of 23-year-old Mackenzie Lueck in Salt Lake City, Utah. Another classmate, Alexa Peterson, told the station that Lueck would reach out after class to see if she wanted to study with her. 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. District Attorney Sim Gill said the guilty pleas allow Luecks parents to begin to obtain closure and a measure of justice.[6][11][14][28] On October 23, 3rd District Judge Vernice Trease sentenced Ajayi to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Who did MacKenzie meet in North Salt Lake City? Detectives have spoken with the Lyft driver and learned that MacKenzie was met at Hatch Park by an individual in a vehicle. We want to try and contact her one way or the other if shes missing or she isnt we need to make sure shes OK.. . 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. Her dad is Greg Lueck. This sentence today will not bring back MacKenzie, she stated. 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. During a press conference on Wednesday, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill told reporters Lueck died of blunt force trauma to her head. They went to his house for dinner, and the abuse happened while they were watching television, he acknowledged. Her phone was turned off a minute after the last text and never turned back on. In the early investigation revealed some shocking facts about Lueck. She has three brothers. We encourage the public to help us answer these questions: Does MacKenzie have an alternate phone that she has used or is using? She had a friendly relationship with her maternal and paternal grandparents. Police said they have not set up a search in a specific area because they do not have enough information to do so. Megan Gallagher My everything. Now, I will not have the opportunity to see her blossom in life. Once the legal process was over, Diana admitted that shes content with the verdict. Ayoola Ajayi Admits Murdering Utah Student Mackenzie Lueck. 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. Salt Lake Police Sergeant Brandon Shearer told KSTU-TVs Erin Cox, Our concern is extremely high right now. Friends say they do not know why Lueck would have been going to the park or who she could have been meeting. After they returned to his home, he bound and strangled her, then burned and hid her body while police and loved ones searched for her, his lawyer said in court. 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. Associated Press We have not yet confirmed the make and model of the car or the description of the person, but may release further details once we have verified that information, Assistant Police Chief Tim Doubt said. 'Never in my life have I felt anger the way I have the last 16 months. Detective Michael Ruff said, Theres a lot our detectives are looking into. Browse for Mackenzie Lueck interviews, guest appearances, and call-ins. He was an information technology worker who had stints with high-profile companies and was briefly in the Army National Guard. Read Also: The Biography of Fernanda Colombo, Lifestyle, Story & Facts to know. Now, I will not have the opportunity to see her blossom in life." (She) was the kind of person who would have a good time no matter what she was doing and have everyone involved, enjoying themselves, Reilly told KSL. Ajayi's ex-wife also reported that he would get real aggressive when she didnt do what he demanded. She was reported missing on Thursday, June 20, by family. A Warner Bros. Is anyone in contact with MacKenzie online or by phone currently or in the last week?. On Facebook, the group Find MacKenzie Lueck, has more than 2,000 members. Ayoola Ajayi, 31, was charged with aggravated murder . Lyft and their driver have cooperated with the investigation, the press release said. I would do anything to get her back. I care for an older dog by providing daily walks and necessary needs for him. To schedule an appointment, call 801-581-6826 or visit the offices temporary reception area in Room 330 in the Student Services Building. Carly Reilly told CNN affiliate KSL that she was instantly drawn to Luecks personality and knew when she met her she wanted to be her big or sorority mentor. 'I'm not sure you even have anything to look forward to in the afterlife, if you believe in that,' he said. 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. However, she was missing from Salt Lake City International Airport from June 17. [4][5] In October 2020, Ajayi pleaded guilty to Lueck's murder and was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without parole. 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. We are just treating it as wed like to find her and we are just trying to track down any leads right now, Salt Lake City Police Department Detective Michael Ruff told KSL-TV. She was expected to graduate in spring 2020. Assistant Police Chief Tim Doubt said at the press conference on June 24, Our detectives have been working around the clock on this case and finding MacKenzie is a very high priority for us. 18:54 EST 23 Oct 2020. 'Mr and Mrs Lueck, I'm sorry for what I did,' he said. After they returned to his home, he bound and . On Friday, ahead of Ajayi's sentencing to life for the murder, Mackenzie's father, Gregory Lueck, told the court that he had no compassion for Ajayi because he had showed no compassion for his daughter. HAPPENING NOW: @slcpd detectives return to the area in N. Salt Lake they say Mackenzie Luecks Lyft driver dropped her off. So, on June 20, when they discovered that her friends hadnt seen or heard from her either, they reported MacKenzie missing. Lueck was at home in El Segundo for her grandmothers funeral. 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. [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. I will remember her as a ball of light. Ayoola A. Ajayi acknowledged he planned the death of 23-year-old Mackenzie Lueck, whom he met on a dating app and arranged to meet in a park. Gill said the family has asked for privacy. When MacKenzie landed in the city at around 2 a.m., she texted her mother, Landed, and Love you mama. However, when Diana tried to respond shortly after, she realized that her daughters phone was off. Salt Lake City police on Friday arrested and charged a man with the murder of missing University of Utah student Mackenzie Lueck. [26] The medical examiners office determined that the body was Lueck's. Mackenzie also graduated in El Segundo High School. We have to do everything to look for her, because Id want her to do that for me.. (She was) very hard-working, very dedicated to her studies.. The sentence, handed down Friday by 3rd District Judge Vernice Trease, was agreed upon as part of a plea deal, in . 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. Suspect in Mackenzie Lueck Murder Charged With 19 Counts of Sexual Exploitation of Minors. "Strangely enough about the time Mackenzie went missing, there was a fire in the backyard and a very strange smell . Detectives are also knocking on doors in the area of the park to rule out that anyone there may have had contact with MacKenzie or seen anything., Doubt added, Occasionally police work a missing person case where the person does not want to have contact with family and friends. Mackenzie Lueck: Man charged with . Best Mackenzie Lueck Interviews on Podcasts or Audio about Mackenzie Listen to audio about Mackenzie Lueck. Mackenzie Michael Gallagher was born on June 8th, 1997 to parents Pat and Monica Gallagher in New Orleans, Louisiana. For the next two weeks, while Diana, Gregory, and their three sons tried to do all they could to look for MacKenzie from California, her Alpha Chi Omega sorority sisters stepped up to find her in Utah. (Not answering the phone) is very, very unusual. Furthermore, after Gregory tried to call MacKenzie, only to be redirected to her voicemail, the Lueck family became genuinely worried about her well-being. She is scheduled to graduate in 2019, she says on Facebook, but her graduation date was not immediately clear. Nothing prior! Discovery Company. He apologized in court, though Gill told media he didn't believe the apology was genuine. IP, Activitatea de rsfoire i cutare cnd folosii site-urile web i aplicaiile Yahoo. There are also privacy concerns because Lueck could just not want to be found. Suspect in Mackenzie Lueck case makes video court appearance. Were not sure what the case is at this point, Salt Lake Police Sergeant Brandon Shearer told the Deseret News. Shes making those plans with friends and family to have plans for the future. Staff have access to counseling through the Employee Assistance Program. Cell phone data placed both Lueck and Ajayi in the park at 2:59 am. Lyft said the driver continued to pick up other riders after dropping Lueck off. The park is located near the 15 Freeway. A significant portion of our department has been assigned to work the case, weve been in contact with our federal, state and local partners. The 32-year-old tech support worker pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated murder, a first-degree felony. She was a member of the water polo team in high school. Her cousin, Carly Stevens, said through tears: 'This is a nightmare you can't wake up from. [17] Additionally, prosecutors say photos of Lueck were found on Ajayi's phone. aggravated murder and desecration of a corpse. 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. pic.twitter.com/3BHNdBh3vn, Michael Locklear (@MichaelLocklear) June 24, 2019. 9:26 AM EDT, Mon July 1, 2019, Suspect arrested in killing of Utah college student. On July 5, police reported that Lueck's body had been recovered in Logan Canyon. Furthermore, she is the daughter of her mother Diana Lueck. family, and friends of the victims. MacKenzie Speth Lueck grew up in the Los Angeles suburb of El Segundo in California, where she lived a happy life with her three brothers, one older and two younger, and her parents, Diana and Gregory Lueck. I just dont see any other reason as to why she would be there at that time.. Its not like her to go off the grid and if she did then she would tell me. Nobody does, and its pretty terrifying., Another sorority sister, Kennedy Stoner, told KSTU-TV, My concern is over the roof. Furthermore, she died on June 27, 2019. The Salt Lake Citys police team arrested Ayoola on 28th June 2019 for murder and kidnapping. 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. 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