Page 7 - aruba-today-20190629

A7
U.S. NEWS Saturday 29 June 2019

Police arrest man suspected

of killing Utah college student

By LINDSAY WHITEHURST “This was the same time
Associated Press as Mackenzie’s phone
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A stopped receiving any fur-
Utah college student miss- ther data or location ser-
ing 11 days was abducted vices,” he said.
and killed and her remains He declined to say whether
burned in the yard of a or how exactly they knew
man now facing aggra- each other.
vated murder and other Ajayi has acknowledged
charges, authorities said texting with Lueck around
Friday. 6 p.m. on June 16, but de-
Salt Lake City Police Chief nied talking to her later,
Mike Brown, who became knowing what she looked
emotional at times during a like or having seen any on-
morning press conference, line profile for her — despite
said Ayoola A. having several photos, in-
Ajayi will be charged with cluding a profile picture,
aggravated murder, kid- Brown said.
napping, obstruction of The police chief said inves-
justice and desecration tigators were seeking to
of a body in the death of determine if others were Salt Lake City police take a man into custody in connection with missing University of Utah student
23-year-old Mackenzie Lu- involved. MacKenzie Lueck in Salt Lake City on Friday, June 28, 2019.
eck. A second person was ques- Associated Press
He was arrested without in- tioned at the time of his page on a website called flew to California for a fu- who have supported this in-
cident Friday morning by a arrest and later released, modelmanagement.com. neral before returning to vestigation,” he said.
SWAT team. Brown said. Court records show he is di- Salt Lake City, police said. She was a bubbly, nurturing
Ajayi, 31, is an information Police have not discussed vorced. Her family reported her person who helped others
technology worker who at- a motive for the killing, or Lueck was a part-time se- missing on June 20 and and took care of animals
tended college on and off specified a cause of death. nior at the University of became more concerned like guinea pigs, hedge-
but never earned a degree A judge ordered Ajayi held Utah studying kinesiology after she missed a planned hogs and cats, friends have
and was briefly in the Army without bail. and pre-nursing, and was flight back to Los Angeles said.
National Guard but didn’t It was not known if he has expected to graduate in last weekend. They did not respond to re-
complete basic training. an attorney to speak on his Spring 2020. Lueck’s uncle, who did not quests for comment after
He doesn’t have a crimi- behalf. She had been a student provide his name at the the arrest was announced.
nal record, according to He had not returned previ- since 2014 and had an off- police press conference, Lueck’s sorority, Alpha Chi
online court information, ous messages from The As- campus apartment. held back tears as he read Omega, said in a state-
but a northern Utah po- sociated Press prior to his The university offered coun- a statement from her family ment the group is grieving
lice department said he arrest. seling services to any stu- thanking the investigators her loss and hoping the
was accused of a rape in After discovering that Ajayi dents or staffers affected for their work. members closest to her
2014. Police investigated was the last person Lueck by her death. “They’re also grateful to her can find comfort as they re-
but the alleged victim, an communicated with, po- She is from El Segundo in community, her friends and member her lasting impact
adult woman, declined to lice searched his home on the Los Angeles area and others around the nation on her loved ones.q
pursue charges, North Park Wednesday and Thursday.
police said in a news re- Police Thursday described
lease. him as a “person of inter- Indiana judge shot during fight
Brown said telling the miss- est.”
ing woman’s parents in In his backyard, they said 1 of 3 people facing charges
Southern California was they found a “fresh dig
“one of the most diffi- area,” and charred items INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — One injuries were serious but not “His version will come out
cult phone calls I’ve ever that belonged to Lueck. of two Indiana judges shot life-threatening, and au- as we progress through the
made.” They also found burned hu- in the wee hours outside a thorities don’t believe they case,” Spencer said.
Her parents are “devastat- man remains that matched fast-food restaurant was were targeted because of Prosecutor Terry Curry said
ed and heartbroken by this her DNA profile, Brown said. charged Friday with bat- their jobs. Adams and Al- video had a role in the in-
news.” Ajayi has worked in infor- tery for his role in the May fredo Vazquez were each vestigation.
Lueck disappeared on mation technology for sev- fight. charged with two felony “You cannot assert self-de-
June 17, after she returned eral companies including The Marion County pros- counts of battery and oth- fense if you’re determined
from a trip home for her Dell and Goldman Sachs, ecutor announced grand er misdemeanors. The al- to be the initial aggressor
grandmother’s funeral and according to his LinkedIn jury indictments against leged gunman, Brandon in a confrontation or if you
took a Lyft ride from the page. three people, including Kaiser, was charged with willingly enter into mutual
airport to a park north of Goldman Sachs confirmed Clark County Judge An- aggravated battery, bat- combat with the other per-
Salt Lake City. She was last he worked as a contract drew Adams, about two tery with a deadly weapon son,” Curry said without
seen apparently willingly employee for less than a months after an argument and other crimes. Jacobs specifically referring to any
meeting someone there at year at the Salt Lake City of- turned violent outside a wasn’t indicted. of the defendants.
about 3 a.m. fice ending in August 2018. White Castle in Indianapolis An email seeking comment Separately, the Indiana Su-
Her text conversation with Dell said Ajayi had worked around 3:30 a.m. was sent to Adams’ attor- preme Court responded to
Ajayi was her last commu- there but didn’t provide his Adams and another Clark ney. Kaiser didn’t have a the charges by suspending
nication and phone loca- dates of employment. County judge, Bradley Ja- lawyer listed in the court file. Adams with pay.
tion data shows them both Ajayi also appeared to cobs, were shot while in Vazquez’ attorney, Greg- He’ll likely appear in an
at the park within a minute have pursued employment Indianapolis for a work- ory Spencer, said his client Indianapolis court next
of each other, Brown said. in modeling with a bio related conference. Their was acting in self-defense. week.q