Friends Concerned After UofU Student Goes Missing
Jun 22, 2019, 10:06 PM | Updated: Jun 24, 2019, 3:34 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Salt Lake City police said a woman who disappeared early Monday morning was dropped off by a Lyft driver in North Salt Lake.
Police said MacKenzie Lueck, 23, landed at Salt Lake City International Airport after a trip home to California early Monday morning.
Around 1:00 a.m., she texted family to say she had arrived. Police said she then got a ride to the location, which was not her home.
Friends said they cannot think of any reason she would have gone there instead of her home near downtown Salt Lake City.
“Absolutely not. Absolutely not. It makes it even more concerning for sure,” said Lueck’s friend Ashley Fine.
Police say Mackenzie Lueck was last seen after being dropped off in North Salt Lake during the early morning hours on Monday, June 17. (Image courtesy Salt Lake City Police)
According to a statement from Lyft, Lueck’s route contained no irregularities and it ended at the destination she originally entered.
It said the driver continued making pickups immediately after Lueck’s ride ended.
Salt Lake City police have talked with the driver, who they said was cooperative.
They said the driver is not under investigation.
Fine recruited people to meet at Liberty Park Saturday evening to hand out missing fliers.
“Shocking, scary. I’m really worried about her safety. When someone’s missing for five days and no one’s in contact with them, there’s something seriously wrong,” Fine said.
Several people saw the event posted online and showed up to help distribute fliers.
“I’m a young woman. I would want people looking for me and helping if I was lost,” said Jennifer Olsen. “I don’t know. If she was taken, it just breaks my heart. People need to look.”
Fine said Lueck’s phone has been turned off since Monday, she has missed her midterms at the University of Utah, and her car is still at her home.
She also said Lueck did not make any plans to have someone look after her pets.
She does not believe Lueck would do any of those things voluntarily.
“There’s no other explanation to me except that someone met her and we need to find that person. That person has been seeing the news and they need to contact police,” Fine said.
Salt Lake City Police said they do not have any information that leads them to believe Lueck has been harmed or is in danger, but they said they are concerned for her welfare.
Anyone who has information about where Lueck may be is encouraged to call police at (801) 799-3000 and use case number 19-111129.
