Authorities have taken a suspect into custody following the discovery of three women killed in rural Utah, ending a search that stretched across several states.
The investigation began Wednesday afternoon when authorities received reports that two women had been found dead on a hiking trail near Torrey, a community of about 260 residents located near Capitol Reef National Park. Investigators say the victims — women in their 30s, 60s and 80s — were found on March 4 in different parts of Wayne County. Two of the bodies were discovered along a hiking trail near the small town of Torrey, while a third victim was located inside a residence elsewhere in the county.
According to the Utah Department of Public Safety, the suspect fled in a vehicle belonging to one of the victims — a white 2022 Subaru Outback — traveling through southern Utah, across Arizona and into Colorado. The car was later discovered abandoned in Pagosa Springs. After a brief search in the area, officers located and arrested the suspect without incident.
Officials have not yet publicly identified the suspect or the victims, and law enforcement has not revealed how the deaths occurred or whether the victims knew the suspect. Lt. Cameron Roden said there is currently no indication the suspect had any personal connection to the victims.
While the suspect was still at large, officials urged residents to remain cautious. Local authorities advised people to lock doors, keep lights on and avoid approaching the vehicle tied to the case. Schools in the county were also closed for the remainder of the week “out of an abundance of caution and concern for student and public safety,” and a local health clinic temporarily shut down.
After the arrest, officials said the immediate danger had passed. “There are no ongoing threats to the public, and investigators have no outstanding suspects,” the Department of Public Safety said. Detectives continue to process multiple crime scenes in the Torrey and Lyman areas as the homicide investigation moves forward.
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