High 69F. [22] Ajayi pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree forcible sexual abuse in connection to this case on October 7, 2020. (She was) very hard-working, very dedicated to her studies.. The Lyft driver is the one who described the interaction between Mackenzie and the unidentified individual as pleasant & happy to see each other. Lueck was returning to Utah after a trip home to go to her grandmothers funeral in the Los Angeles area, her family and friends say. * She is my ride or die and Im truly worried, and panicked. Ayoola Ajayi, 32, pleaded guilty earlier this month to killing MacKenzie Lueck. The sentence, handed down Friday by 3rd District Judge Vernice Trease, was agreed upon as part of a plea deal, in . Washington, PA (15301) Today. Lyft said the driver continued to pick up other riders after dropping Lueck off. She took a Lyft rideshare at 2:42 from the airport to a park in North Salt Lake. Lueck worked at a Salt Lake City biological testing company[10] and planned to have a career in health sciences, speaking to advisors about going to nursing or medical school. A Facebook page with photos of Ajayi promoted the book. The company said it is assisting in the investigation. FILE - In this July 1, 2019, file photo, Ashley Fine speaks during a vigil for Mackenzie Lueck at the university in Salt Lake City. When they returned to his Salt Lake City home, Ajayi tied her up and began to choke her. All Rights Reserved. She also expressed her love for the popular Barstool Sports podcast Call Her Daddy.. I love her. Information never before released about the investigation into MacKenzie Lueck's murder was made public on Wednesday night. Mackenzie Lueck's uncle gathers himself before reading a statement from her family during a press conference at the Public Safety Building in Salt Lake City on Friday, June 28, 2019. He was an information technology worker who had stints with high-profile companies and was briefly in the Army National Guard. Browse for Mackenzie Lueck interviews, guest appearances, and call-ins. She was selfless and perfect. @FindMacLueck and used the hashtags like #MacLueck and # FindMacKenzie. Delta Airlines Offers to Fly Singing California Kid and His Entire Family to New York The University of Utah issued a statement about Lueck on June 24: The University of Utah is deeply concerned about the well-being of Mackenzie Kenzie Lueck and her family. Any donations will go directly to the Lueck family. 20190628 Mackenzie Lueck's uncle gathers himself before reading a statement from her family during a press conference at the Public Safety Building in Salt Lake City on Friday, June 28, 2019. [24] In addition, Ajayi was sentenced to five years in prison for desecrating Lueck's body. Mackenzie Lueck: Man charged with . We recognize how scary this must be for those who know and love Ms. Lueck, a Lyft spokesperson told ABC News. Lueck was a part-time senior studying kinesiology and pre-nursing who had been enrolled since 2014, according to a statement on the University of Utahs website. You had a heart of . 'The pain of Kenzi's loss and the permanent fracture it has left in our family is indescribable. Together, they even created the now-defunct Find MacKenzie Lueck Facebook page to garner national media attention on the matter. Her dad is Greg Lueck. Lueck was on track to graduate in 2020, KSL reported. Doubt said they are not aware of any past occasions where Lueck went off the grid without telling anyone. , updated !, Stoner wrote on Facebook, My big, Kenzie Lueck has not been seen since Monday. I help with organization tasks and projects. Family members of a Utah college student who was found strangled and burned last year following a search for her that captured the nation's attention called the man who pleaded guilty to her murder a "monster" Friday as they confronted him before he was sentenced to life in . As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed 19 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor related to child pornography allegedly discovered on his devices during the investigation into Lueck's death. Her friends and family considered it "highly unusual and suspect that MacKenzie would not have any communications or social-media activity despite multiple attempts to contact her," Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown said during the news conference. Mackenzie Lueck's father, Gregory Lueck, told Ayoola A. Ajayi that he had no compassion for him because Ajayi had shown no compassion for his daughter, and said he hopes Ajayi spends the rest of his life in prison looking over his shoulder in fear. Police officers stand in front of the home, of Ayoola A. Ajayi on June 28, 2019, in Salt Lake City. Mackenzie Lueck was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority and a part-time senior at the University of Utah studying kinesiology and pre-nursing. The family of slain University of Utah student Mackenzie Lueck confronted her killer in court more than a year after the 23-year-old's remains were found burned in his backyard. The university is cooperating with the Salt . According to her family says, "Mackenzie is 5'6" tall, 120 pounds with a slim/athletic build, medium length blonde hair and brown eyes." DailyMail.com can reveal that Lueck is a self-proclaimed sugar baby, seeking men 35 and up. He pleaded guilty to forcible sexual abuse in that case. Ayoola Ajayi was taken into custody on June 28. Her phone has been turned off and the last place she was seen was the airport, she landed at 1 AM. Police arrested Ayoola Adisa Ajayi, 31, after recovering several charred items, including body parts and personal items belonging to Lueck, in Ajayi's . #selflove. She wrote in another post, Youre never fully dressed without a smile!. The Lueck family had not said much publicly since their daughter's charred remains were found in the summer of 2019 in Ajayi's backyard in Salt Lake City. 9:26 AM EDT, Mon July 1, 2019, Suspect arrested in killing of Utah college student. 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. It is not known why she went there. Police had been searching for Lueck, while her family, college friends and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ward where she was a member, had been aiding in the search, passing out flyers in Salt Lake City and posting about her disappearance on social media. [21], After murdering Lueck, Ajayi claims he buried her body and some of her belongings in his backyard and threw some of her belongings into the Jordan River. Relatives of a Utah college student who was found strangled and burned last year described her killer as a 'monster' on Friday, in a hearing beforehe was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. My entire world. Ashley Fine said missing work and class was very uncharacteristic for Lueck. Detectives are concerned for Mackenzies welfare. She went missing in June 2019, after returning from a trip home to El Segundo, California, for her grandmothers funeral. (Not answering the phone) is very, very unusual. Her sorority sisters and other friends have been helping to lead the search efforts in Salt Lake City and the surrounding area, passing out flyers and asking people if they have seen her. Lueck was at home in El Segundo for her grandmothers funeral. Detectives have spoken with the Lyft driver and learned that MacKenzie was met at Hatch Park by an individual in a vehicle. NBCs Dateline: The Waiting Car is an episode that profiles the 2019 murder of 23-year-old MacKenzie Lueck, a University of Utah student, whose remains were recovered partly from a backyard and partly from a shallow grave in a canyon nearly two weeks after she was strangled to death. #topshop #topshopjeans #topshopstyle, A post shared by Kenzie (@kenzielueck) on May 14, 2019 at 4:51pm PDT, Her Instagram profile shows photos and pictures typical of a college student. SLCPD Assistant Chief Tim Doubt gives a public update on MacKenzie Lueck, who was reported missing by her parents on Thursday, June 20. (@slcpd) June 25, 2019. We dont have anyone searching any particular area right now, because we dont have any credible evidence of where she might be, Salt Lake City Police Sergeant Brandon Shearer told the Salt Lake Tribune. At Grifols, she has worked as a plasma processor, phlebotomist and donor center technician. Her phone was turned off a minute after the last text and never turned back on. Thats what she was. Although, from what we can tell, it seems like Diana and Gregory Lueck still reside in El Segundo, California. 'Never in my life have I felt anger the way I have the last 16 months. ? along with a plea for human rights advocacy. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. He is now facing charges of aggravated kidnapping, obstruction of justice and desecration of a body in connection with Luecks disappearance, Brown said. Friends of slain Utah college student Mackenzie Lueck held hands in the front row of a courtroom on Monday as her alleged killer made his first court appearance. Some friends have also said she was heading home for a wedding. Gill said the family has asked for privacy. 2. The Salt Lake Citys police team arrested Ayoola on 28th June 2019 for murder and kidnapping. The police only want hints if its been since she landed on Monday. [31] The pornography charges were later dismissed. They also set up a Twitter account, @FindMacLueck, and have been using the hashtags #FindMacKenzie and #MacLueck. [6] On July 3[15] while searching, investigators found recently disturbed ground off the main road in a wooded area. I also plan vacations, appointments, and additional errands as needed, she wrote on Linkedin. A college student goes missing in Salt Lake City, and new developments appear grim. Ayoola A. Ajayi acknowledged he planned the death of 23-year-old Mackenzie Lueck, whom he met on a dating app and arranged to meet in a park. Vurbl People: Interviews, Commentary, News . Cell phone data placed both Lueck and Ajayi in the park at 2:59 am. Due to this unforeseen circumstance, we have decided to raise money for funeral costs and other potential expenses. On June 25, police released photos taken from surveillance cameras at the airport: Pictures of Mackenzie Lueck at the Salt Lake City International airport on June 17, 2019. We encourage the public to help us answer these questions: Does MacKenzie have an alternate phone that she has used or is using? Fine told KSTU-TV, We hope youre okay, we want you home. The death of the friendly student has touched those throughout not only her school community, but also her state. Deal, in Salt Lake City, and new developments appear grim & happy see... Us answer these questions: Does MacKenzie have an alternate phone that she has worked a. Permanent fracture it has left in our family is indescribable in addition, Ajayi tied up... Place she was ) very hard-working, very unusual of ayoola A. Ajayi on June 28 2019! Data placed both Lueck and Ajayi in the park at 2:59 AM no longer accepting on! For the popular Barstool Sports podcast Call her Daddy of ayoola A. on. 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