Questions Linger After SLC Police Announce Recovery of Mackenzie Lueck’s Body in Logan Canyon

CACHE COUNTY, Utah—Several questions lingered late Friday after Salt Lake City Police announced they had found the body of Mackenzie Lueck in Logan Canyon, including what took investigators to an area more than 80 miles away from where other evidence was recovered in the case.

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said investigators’ efforts brought a “significant opportunity” and lead that they were able to vet, which ultimately led them to the remains, but neither he nor police elaborated on exactly what that was.

Police during a Friday morning news conference also did not say how Lueck died, or where exactly in the canyon the body was found.

The Cache County Sheriff’s Office confirmed it dropped off a trailer with diving gear to investigators, but it remained unclear if Lueck’s body was found in water.

Greg Skordas, a criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor, said the priority for police and the medical examiner going forward would be determining the cause and manner of death.

He said they could also look for DNA evidence or any other kind of evidence that would tie Lueck to the suspect, Ayoola Ajayi.

Longtime former prosecutor Kent Morgan said investigators would also likely be looking for evidence of injuries that may have occurred prior to the University of Utah student’s death.

Gill said prosecutors would continue to screen the case, and formal charges could be filed sometime next week.