‘Person of Interest’ Emerges in Case of Missing Utah Student Mackenzie Lueck

CNN Newsource
By CNN Newsource
June 27, 2019US News
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‘Person of Interest’ Emerges in Case of Missing Utah Student Mackenzie Lueck
Mackenzie Lueck. (@SLCPD/Twitter via CNN)

Investigators have executed a search warrant at a house in connection the search for missing college student Mackenzie Lueck, according to police.

Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown told reporters Thursday morning that investigators have spoken with the owner of the residence in the Fairpark neighborhood, where they collected “multiple items of evidence.”

Brown did not identify the homeowner, who is not in police custody.

Salt Lake City police investigate a tip t
Salt Lake City police investigate a tip that may be connected to the disappearance of Mackenzie Lueck in Salt Lake City, Utah, on June 26, 2019. (Francisco Kjolseth/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP)

Lueck, a 23-year-old senior at the University of Utah, has been missing since the morning of June 17, when she was dropped off by a Lyft in a park where she met another individual, according to police.

Mackenzie Lueck
Mackenzie Lueck, 23, captured on security cameras at Salt Lake City International Airport.(Salt Lake City Airport/PD via CNN)

Investigators are looking for a mattress and box spring that were given away from the Fairpark home last week, Brown said. He asked that whoever took them contact the Salt Lake City Police Department.

Brown added investigators are examining the case’s “digital footprint.”

“This is a digital forensic investigation,” he said. “This is covering computers, cellphones, IP addresses, URLs, texting apps.”

NTD Photo
Investigators have executed a search warrant at a house in connection to missing college student Mackenzie Lueck, according to the Salt Lake City Police Department. (Salt Lake City Police Dept. via CNN)

Brown said he had spoken to Lueck’s father and could “feel the heartache and the pain and the suffering in his voice as we spoke.”

“And my commitment to Greg was we would do everything within our power, the Salt Lake City Police Department, to bring Mackenzie home,” Brown said. “And that is our charge and that we are committed to do.”

Lueck had flown into the Salt Lake City International Airport after attending a family funeral in California and left the airport’s departure area sometime after 2 a.m.

Images taken from the airport’s surveillance footage show Lueck walking through the airport and rolling her luggage past a baggage carousel.

Mackenzie Lueck
Mackenzie Lueck, 23, is seen leaving the departure area at Salt Lake City International Airport. (Salt Lake City Airport/PD via CNN)

According to police, Lueck then took a Lyft to Hatch Park in North Salt Lake City. The Lyft driver dropped her off and went to pick up other riders.

“Mackenzie was met at Hatch Park by an individual in a vehicle,” Salt Lake City Police Assistant Chief Tim Doubt told reporters Monday. “The Lyft driver left Mackenzie at the park with that person and stated that Mackenzie did not appear to be in any type of distress.”

Police cannot confirm the make or model of the car. The identity of the driver remains unknown, Doubt said.

Lyft confirmed that Lueck’s route showed no irregularities and ended at the destination she entered. The driver continued providing rides immediately after dropping her off, the rideshare company said. “We are actively assisting law enforcement with their investigation.”

Lueck missed a flight to Los Angeles the morning of June 23 and a midterm exam. Her sorority sister Ashley Fine told KSL that was out of character because Lueck is “extremely dedicated.”

“She would never miss her midterms or anything like that,” Fine said.

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