Triple murder suspect arrested after fleeing Utah in victim's car: Officials
A suspect in a triple murder investigation was taken into custody Thursday morning after investigators tracked him in one of the victim's vehicles, according to the Utah Department of Public Safety.
Three women were found murdered on Wednesday in two locations.
The suspect -- 22-year-old Ivan Miller from Blakesburg, Iowa -- is believed to have had no prior relationships with the victims or prior ties to the area, Utah Highway Patrol Lt. Cameron Roden said at a press conference Thursday.
The victims in this case are not related and investigators are still looking into the suspect's criminal background, according to Roden.
Two of the victims were found dead on a hiking trail and a third victim was found dead at a Wayne County residence during the investigation, according to Utah DPS.
The husbands of two of the victims found their bodies on a trailhead near State Route 12 in Torrey, Utah, and reported it to the dispatch center on Wednesday evening, according to Roden.
Investigators then found a suspicious vehicle near the trailhead and tracked it to a residence in Lyman, Utah. Investigators found evidence that led them to the body of the third victim on Wednesday -- who was the registered owner of the vehicle -- according to Roden.
The identities of the victims have not been publicly released. Investigators believe the ages of the victims are in the 30s, 60s and 80s.
Investigators tracked the vehicle the suspect tried to escape in through southern Utah into northern Arizona and eventually Colorado. Colorado law enforcement then located the vehicle abandoned in Pagosa Springs and took the individual into custody shortly after, according to Utah DPS.
Investigators were searching for a 2022 white Subaru Outback in connection with at least one of the murders, according to Utah DPS. This vehicle belonged to one of the victims found on the trailhead, Roden said.
A representative with the FBI Salt Lake City field office told ABC News Salt Lake City affiliate KTVX they are aware of the investigation and are "prepared to assist our law enforcement partners, if requested."
Multiple counties were on high alert as officials searched for the suspect. All residents were advised to take extra precautions, including keeping lights on and locking all doors, but now investigators said they have no outstanding suspects and there is no ongoing threat to the public.
Schools in the Wayne County School District are closed on Thursday and Friday, according to the Wayne County School District.
