ALL NEWS

Death penalty off the table in Mackenzie Lueck plea deal

Oct 7, 2020, 2:43 PM | Updated: 9:16 pm

SALT LAKE CITY — The man accused in the murder of University of Utah student Mackenzie Lueck will avoid the death penalty after pleading guilty in the case, instead serving a life sentence.

Ayoola Ajayi pleaded guilty to the murder of Mackenzie Lueck in a Salt Lake City courtroom Wednesday.

 

He appeared in person, wearing a mask, in the same room with the judge and attorneys. Reporters and others wanting to observe the proceedings did so remotely. 

As part of the plea deal, Ajayi pleaded guilty to criminal homicide, aggravated murder, abuse or desecration of a human body and forcible kidnapping. In exchange, prosecutors will not seek the death penalty, and dropped charges of aggravated kidnapping and obstruction. Instead, Ajayi agreed to serve life in prison without possibility of parole. 

“I want to thank the prosecutors, investigators, and police officers that helped resolve this matter,” Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said in a statement.  “The entry of the pleas today starts the process of bringing some closure and a measure of justice to the Lueck family.”

(Ayoola Ajayi, Salt Lake County Jail)

The plea bargain also means Ajayi will plead guilty in a separate sex assault case. 

The Mackenzie Lueck case

Mackenzie Lueck disappeared on June 17, 2019, after returning to Salt Lake from a trip to her home state of California to attend a funeral. Police say after she landed early that morning, she took a Lyft ride to Hatch Park in North Salt Lake. The Lyft driver told police she met someone there and got into a vehicle without any signs of distress.

DA Gill later said her last text was sent at 2:58 a.m. on the morning of June 17, 2019, to Ajayi’s phone. Just one minute later, Gill said her phone was powered off and did not come back on. 

Police said phone records placed Lueck in the park at the same time as Ajayi, who also once rented an apartment near the park. Gill said phone records showed Ajayi was at his home in Salt Lake City’s Fairpark neighborhood just a few minutes later, by around 3:07 a.m.

campus ban ajayi new charges lueck

The home of Ayoola Ajayi, where police say they found physical evidence in the murder of Mackenzie Lueck. Photo: Paul Nelson, KSL NewsRadio

As their investigation continued, police searched that home, where they found evidence including charred personal items and human “muscular tissue” that Gill said fit the DNA profile of Lueck. A neighbor told investigators Ajayi poured gasoline and burned something in his backyard that produced a “horrible smell.”

According to the charging documents filed last summer, police noticed a strong smell of gasoline in the trunk of Ajayi’s car when they searched the home.

“Inside the trunk was a red gasoline can,” the charges stated. “Further investigation revealed that Ajayi purchased a similar gas can at Smith’s” at around 9:00 a.m. on June 17, 2019, or about six hours after Lueck was last seen.

Investigators found her body in July 2019, 18 days after her disappearance, in Logan Canyon, nearly 80 miles away, where prosecutors said phone records placed Ajayi’s phone on June 25. Her remains were charred and buried in a shallow grave. 


 A medical examiner determined the cause of death to be blunt force trauma.

The plea deal and other charges

The plea deal puts an end to a lengthy ordeal for the family of Mackenzie Lueck, whom prosecutors say agreed to the arrangement. 

In December 2019, a judge ordered Ajayi to stand trial on charges related to the sexual assault of another woman with some similarities to Lueck’s case. According to police, Ajayi was accused of assaulting the woman, whom he met on a dating app, after inviting her to dinner at his home in March 2018. She came forward after seeing reports about Lueck’s death, telling police she was able to escape. Ajayi pleaded not guilty in that case originally, but pleaded guilty to forcible sex abuse as part of Wednesday’s plea deal. 

Ajayi appeared in court on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, to face 19 felony counts related to the alleged discovery of child pornography on his computer. Investigators say they found images of children as young as four years old in the course of the investigation into Lueck’s murder. However, they were not linked to her death. Ajayi pleaded not guilty. Those charges were dropped in Wednesday’s plea deal. 

Ajayi will be sentenced Oct. 23, 2020. 

Contributing: Colby Walker, Marc Giauque

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

All News

"Burn Book," by longtime Silicon Valley reporter Kara Swisher is seen, Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, in Sa...

Jeff Caplan

Jeff Caplan’s Minute of News: Telling tales about tech bros

Kara Swisher’s new book paints an ugly picture of Silicon Valley.

2 hours ago

pets...

Curt Gresseth

Don’t surrender pets to a shelter. Send in a pro to reverse bad behavior, says Utah trainer

An expert discusses controlling the unwanted behavior of pets.

2 hours ago

Exclusive video obtained by KSL NewsRadio shows Salt Lake hit-and-run in the Avenues neighborhood. ...

Eric Cabrera

WATCH: Exclusive video shows woman survives Salt Lake City hit and run

KSL NewsRadio has exclusively obtained footage of a Salt Lake City hit-and-run, where a woman was struck while out for a run in the Avenues.

3 hours ago

Defense attorney John Prior questions David Warwick during Chad Daybell's preliminary hearing in Fr...

Emma Keddington

Judge orders gag order for upcoming Chad Daybell case

Judge Steven Boyce has issued a gag order in the Chad Daybell case, after Daybell's attorney spoke with a media outlet.

3 hours ago

colorado river...

Adam Small

More than half of the Colorado River’s water is being used for farming, study finds

The Colorado River provides water to 40 million people in seven states, including Utah, as well as Mexico.

3 hours ago

12 year old driver shown driving erratically on freeway...

Sam Herrera

WATCH: Police release dash cam footage of 12-year-old driver

The Utah Highway Patrol said the 12-year-old driver stole her mom's car. The girl was briefly arrested before being released to her parents.

5 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Mother and cute toddler child in a little fancy wooden cottage, reading a book, drinking tea and en...

Visit Bear Lake

How to find the best winter lodging in Bear Lake, Utah

Winter lodging in Bear Lake can be more limited than in the summer, but with some careful planning you can easily book your next winter trip.

Happy family in winter clothing at the ski resort, winter time, watching at mountains in front of t...

Visit Bear Lake

Ski more for less: Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

front of the Butch Cassidy museum with a man in a cowboy hat standing in the doorway...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking Back: The History of Bear Lake

The history of Bear Lake is full of fascinating stories. At over 250,000 years old, the lake has seen generations of people visit its shores.

silhouette of a family looking over a lake with a bird in the top corner flying...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

8 Fun Activities To Do in Bear Lake Without Getting in the Water

Bear Lake offers plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy without having to get in the water. Catch 8 of our favorite activities.

Wellsville Mountains in the spring with a pond in the foreground...

Wasatch Property Management

Advantages of Renting Over Owning a Home

Renting allows you to enjoy luxury amenities and low maintenance without the long-term commitment and responsibilities of owning a home.

Clouds over a red rock vista in Hurricane, Utah...

Wasatch Property Management

Why Southern Utah is a Retirement Paradise

Retirement in southern Utah offers plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities. Find out all that this region has to offer.

Death penalty off the table in Mackenzie Lueck plea deal