I will never forgive the monster who took her life. Instead, police are investigating her disappearance and the circumstances leading up to her death. A beloved figure among friends and family, Mack was a kind and compassionate soul who always put others before himself. . Shes my best friend. MacKenzie Lueck was a 23-year-old University of Utah whose body was found July 5, weeks after shed been reported missing. Mackenzie Michael Gallagher was born on June 8th, 1997 to parents Pat and Monica Gallagher in New Orleans, Louisiana. New details in case of missing Utah student. 'I replay those final moments together in my head over and over, stricken with grief that I cannot somehow keep her with us just a little bit longer,' she said. Though, the officers searched for the girl for 11 days. 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.. Ayoola Ajayi, who pleaded guilty to murder in the 2019 death of University of Utah student MacKenzie Lueck, was given a life sentence Friday. Lueck's cousin stated "This is a nightmare you can't wake up from. However, she was missing from Salt Lake City International Airport from June 17. Facebook They discuss Alex Murdaugh taking the stand in his own defense, a federal judge's ruling that will cut 20 years from R. Kelly's sentence, and prosecutors dropping a gun enhancement charge against Alec Baldwin. A jogger runs past a poster seeking information on the whereabouts of missing student Mackenzie Lueck at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City, on June 24, 2019. Shes making those plans with friends and family to have plans for the future. Investigators with the Salt Lake City Police Department released their . Then he called police. Im worried sick. [17] On June 28, a Salt Lake City man, identified as Ayoola Ajayi, was arrested and charged with the kidnapping and aggravated murder of Lueck, along with desecration of her body. When they returned to his Salt Lake City home, Ajayi tied her up and began to choke her. He later revealed the location of her body in Logan Canyon, where she was found with her arms bound behind her. And honestly, I would trade places with her in a heartbeat just to know shes safe., Kenzie Lueck is a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority at the University of Utah. Lueck was at home in El Segundo for her grandmothers funeral. 'I deserve what I'm going to get. She was selfless and perfect. Ajayi pleaded guilty earlier this month to aggravated murder and desecration of a corpse in an agreement with prosecutors that removed the possibility of the death penalty. During a press conference on Wednesday, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill told reporters Lueck died of blunt force trauma to her head. 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. 'I will never be able to forgive what happened to her. [7][11][15] On March 10, 2018, Ajayi invited the woman into his home. She has three brothers. Police said Luecke landed at the airport at 1:35 a.m. and texted her parents at 2:01 a.m. to say she had arrived there. [2] An autopsy found that the blunt force trauma to the left side of her skull caused brain hemorrhaging that ultimately killed her. Things arent adding up. I provided daily house cleaning, plan and prepare daily dinners and lunches, laundry as needed, and weekly grocery shopping. She left Starbucks and then Barista in 2018. ? along with a plea for human rights advocacy. Police arrested Ayoola Adisa Ajayi, 31, after recovering several charred items, including body parts and personal items belonging to Lueck, in Ajayi's backyard. Footage of Mackenzie Lueck at Airport Released. 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. Lueck planned on graduating in May 2020. MacKenzie Lueck's family and friends have set up social media accounts to help in the search for her. MacKenzie Lueck had not been seen since early in the morning on Monday, June 17, when a Lyft driver picked her up and took her to an address in North Salt Lake, Utah, according to police. 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. [22] On October 7, 2020, Ajayi pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated murder and third-degree desecration of a human body in connection with Lueck's death. 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. 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 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. Lueck's body was discovered in a canyon about 85 miles from the home of suspect Ayoola Ajayi. We will continue to work with them or anyone who has information on this case.. FILE - In this July 1, 2019, file photo, Ashley Fine speaks during a vigil for Mackenzie Lueck at the university in Salt Lake City. 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. Authorities have not discussed a motive for the killing. Kenzie Lueck grew up in El Segundo, California, where her family still lives, and she graduated from El Segundo High School. On June 8, she posted on Facebook about the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment being passed, giving women the right to vote. Gill said the family has asked for privacy. !, Stoner wrote on Facebook, My big, Kenzie Lueck has not been seen since Monday. Cousin Chloe Stevens said her fondest memories of her cousin come from summers when the band of cousins would play in their grandmother's backyard pool in California. Any donations will go directly to the Lueck family. 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. Because of privacy laws that protect Mackenzies personal information, the university cannot provide further details. *please be aware of the timeline. Her family members tried to find her with the help of Utah Police. Mackenzie also graduated in El Segundo High School. He is expected to be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Cell phone data placed both Lueck and Ajayi in the park at 2:59 am. IP, Activitatea de rsfoire i cutare cnd folosii site-urile web i aplicaiile Yahoo. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Police said they have not set up a search in a specific area because they do not have enough information to do so. On June 24, Salt Lake City Police said they have set up a tip-line for information about Lueck. Since we took the report on Thursday, detectives have canvassed the area around Hatch Park multiple times to try and locate any video surveillance from businesses or from residences that may have captured anything. Earlier reports said that she was flying home on July 23, but her family has corrected that to say she was due home again on June 23. Never have I been so fearful for my life because I know how real evil is in this world.'. She was expected to graduate in spring 2020. CLIP 01/11/23. The sentence, handed down Friday by 3rd District Judge Vernice Trease, was agreed upon as part of a plea deal, in . [22] Ajayi pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree forcible sexual abuse in connection to this case on October 7, 2020. At the . SALT LAKE CITY Family and friends of MacKenzie Lueck are understandably devastated. However, Ayoola charged on her murder case by the Mike Brown (Police Chief, Salt Lake City). Please reach out to anyone so we can get you home.. 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