Foul play “strongly suggested” in Eureka couple’s disappearance

EUREKA – The search for two missing teens has taken a drastic shift.  Investigators say they now believe foul play is involved.

Officials with the Juab County Sheriff’s Office say there are several reasons why they suspect foul play in the disappearance of Riley Powell and Breezy Otteson.  They’re not at liberty to discuss all of them, yet, however they say the placement of the couple’s recovered Jeep is part of their reasoning.  Sheriff Douglas Anderson says they believe the vehicle was placed on Cherry Creek by someone else.  “They were in apposition to have been quickly and rapidly recovered.  They were right off the side of the road, within 100 feet of fresh spring water,” Anderson says.

Anderson says the road is commonly used, and if they were stranded, someone would have seen them.  “They could have sought help.  They could have driven out on flat tires,” he says, adding they could have walked to State Road 36, if needed.  “I’m going to estimate it’s 15 miles to the road, northeast of where they were.”

The search and rescue efforts have been called off, and Juab, Sanpete and Tooele counties are joining in the missing person’s case.