Former USU student charged in murder case

A former Utah State University student has been arrested for aggravated murder, aggravated kidnapping, desecration of a body and obstruction of justice in connection to the slaying of 23-year-old Mackenzie Lueck.

Ayoola Adisa Ajayi, 31, was taken into custody at 9:20 a.m. on June 28. Police believe Lueck met with Ajayi at a North Salt Lake park on June 17th.

Ajayi attended Utah State University on and off from 2009 to 2016, according to UUS spokesman Tim Vitale. During his time at USU, Ajayi was a computer science major. He left in fall 2016 and did not graduate. 

Ajayi is a green card holder from Nigeria, according to the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s office. 

After being taken into custody by SWAT, Ajayi was booked into Salt Lake County Jail on charges of aggravated murder, aggravated kidnapping, desecration of a body and obstruction of justice.

Another suspect was arrested and taken from the scene; he was released after questioning.

During a press conference, Salt Lake Police Chief Mike Brown said that the day after Lueck disappeared, Ajayi’s neighbors reported that they saw smoke coming from his backyard. The 31-year-old was identified as a person of interest and police searched his home. A fresh dig was found.

“Excavation of the burned area was conducted, which resulted in the finding of several charred items, that were consistent with personal items of Mackenzie Lueck,” Brown said. “Other charred material was located, which has now been determined to be female human tissue.”

Despite evidence that the burned items, along with DNA, are connected to Lueck, Chief Brown would not comment on whether they had found her body and said that the “investigation was ongoing.”

Lueck had been missing since June 17th when she arrived at the Salt Lake City Airport. Surveillance from the airport shows her in baggage claim before getting into a Lyft vehicle. Her driver claims she was dropped off at the North Salt Lake park around 3 a.m.

Police were able to use social media and cellphone data to determine that Lueck and Ajayi had been communicating before she disappeared.

“This was outstanding detective work, and this was cutting-edge investigation. When we talk about the digital footprint, through the work that we’ve done, and our federal partners, and then our state partners with the DNA, this is a cutting-edge investigation and this is what has led us to this arrest,” Brown said.

Despite phone records that show the two communicated the day before she disappeared, Ajayi denies ever meeting up with Lueck.

University of Utah issued a prepared statement in connection with Lueck’s death.

“The death of Mackenzie Lueck is devastating news,” University of Utah President Ruth V. Watkins said. “On behalf of the university, I express our heartfelt sympathy to the family, friends and classmates of Mackenzie during this very difficult time.”

Ajayi is being held without bail in the Salt Lake County jail.

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