The Murder of Mackenzie Lueck: A Digital Trail, a Backyard Fire, and a Premeditated Crime

Ever thought? Digital freedom should never come at the cost of personal safety. Let’s keep having conversations that save lives.

⚠️ One simple safety tip could have changed the outcome: Always share your location and plans with someone you trust.

Meeting someone new? Let a friend know: ✔️ Where you're going

✔️ Who you're meeting

✔️ When to expect you back

✔️ Share your live location

Digital freedom should never come at the cost of personal safety. Let’s keep having conversations that save lives.

This real incident is a good reminder of digital safety for everyone!!!

n June 2019, a series of disturbing events unfolded in Salt Lake City, Utah. What began as the disappearance of a 23-year-old college student named Mackenzie Lueck spiraled into a horrifying investigation that would ultimately reveal one man’s dark and deliberate intentions.

A Mysterious Disappearance

Mackenzie Lueck, a University of Utah student, vanished on June 17, 2019, after returning from a funeral in California. She took a Lyft from the airport and was dropped off at Hatch Park around 3 a.m.—an odd location and time that even the Lyft driver found peculiar. Mackenzie reportedly made a joke about the strange meeting spot but insisted she had planned to meet someone there.

That someone was Ayoola Ajayi, a 31-year-old man who went by "AJ."

Police Interviews and Red Flags

The investigation into Mackenzie’s disappearance quickly led police to AJ. He was interviewed and, while broadly cooperative, immediately raised suspicion. He questioned why his cell phone was confiscated, expressing concern about the police using its contents against him.

Despite his discomfort, AJ was free to leave. However, his actions following the police interview drew even more attention. Officers tracked him and discovered that instead of going to the local library as he claimed, he went to a Smith's grocery store, where he purchased a prepaid cell phone.

Later that day, police executed a search warrant on AJ’s home. They found a guest in the Airbnb room—someone who had just arrived that morning and had no idea about the unfolding investigation. AJ, meanwhile, was again told he was free to leave, but he lingered nervously.

“I just don’t want you guys to use anything when I’m going because I gave them my phone and they used that against me before,” he said to the officers.

Alarming Discoveries at the House

The search turned up unsettling evidence: multiple weapons, including knives, a hammer, and a gun in AJ’s car. Investigators also collected electronics, like routers and a Wi-Fi mesh system, for forensic analysis.

But the most damning discovery came from the backyard.

Neighbors reported that AJ had been burning something on June 17 that released a rancid, foul-smelling smoke. A canine unit was brought in and signaled the presence of human remains. Detectives found a freshly dug area of earth. Within it were charred bone fragments, muscle tissue, and part of a human scalp with hair—later confirmed to be Mackenzie Lueck’s remains.

AJ's Behavior and Background

AJ, it turned out, was no stranger to suspicion. A woman named Tara Chatterton, hired to clean his house, reported that it was covered in cameras—eight to ten, with multiple aimed directly at his bed. He also reportedly insisted that she bring her 12-year-old daughter to help clean, raising alarm bells.

"He reminded me of Ted Bundy," she said. “I just knew in my gut that I should not go back.”

AJ had tried to explain away his behavior. He claimed he’d lit the fire to burn his own trash and clothing and that any blood found in his house or fridge was from goats he’d slaughtered for food. But the physical evidence was overwhelming, and his story increasingly implausible.

A Trail of Digital Footprints

Investigators found a chilling timeline in AJ’s digital and physical movements. Surveillance footage showed his Kia vehicle heading toward Hatch Park at 2:48 a.m., moments before Mackenzie’s Lyft arrived. Ten seconds after her Lyft left, AJ’s vehicle also drove away—with Mackenzie inside.

His phone location data later placed him at Logan Canyon on June 25th, a remote area 80 minutes away from Salt Lake City. This was the same day he turned off his home surveillance system—suggesting he was hiding something.

That suspicion proved accurate. On July 3rd, police found a shallow grave in Logan Canyon. It contained Mackenzie’s body, zip-tied at the wrists, partially burned, with blunt force trauma to the head.

A Man with a Dark History

AJ had no criminal convictions, but his past was riddled with disturbing incidents. In 2018, he was investigated for sexually assaulting a woman he met on a dating app. A contractor later revealed AJ had asked him to build a soundproof room with hooks on the wall and a fingerprint lock. AJ claimed it was to hide alcohol from a Mormon girlfriend—another lie.

In fact, the contractor and his nephew both found the request so bizarre and creepy that they refused the job.

AJ also had a wife, Tanisha, living in Dallas, Texas, who had long distanced herself from him. She recalled him being kind at first, then violent and possessive. “He threatened to kidnap me and kill me,” she said, describing a terrifying moment when she had to jump out of a window to escape him.

The Arrest and Charges

Despite the mounting evidence, police initially released AJ. But once DNA testing confirmed that the remains found in his yard belonged to Mackenzie, the authorities acted. A SWAT team surrounded the friend’s apartment where AJ was staying. He refused to come down at first—until officers played along with his twisted logic:

“Are you trying to arrest me?” AJ asked.

“Yes,” replied the officer.

“Okay, thanks.”

On July 10, 2019, Ayoola Ajayi was charged with aggravated murder, aggravated kidnapping, and desecration of a body. He eventually pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Aftermath Investigators later found bleach-stained clothes, bloodied shower curtains, and a mattress AJ had tried to give away. They also discovered pornographic images of minors on his devices, though those charges were later dropped.

The house where the murder occurred was eventually listed for sale. Neighbors, forever haunted by what happened, say they’ll never forget. One neighbor shared, “There’s a black mark in your mind when you look at the house. It reminds you that something horrible happened.”

Mackenzie Lueck’s case is a haunting reminder of how technology can both aid and betray. In this instance, digital footprints—text records, GPS locations, surveillance footage—provided the breadcrumbs that ultimately led to justice. But they also revealed the sinister extent of AJ’s planning. From turning off cameras to moving a body and buying a prepaid phone, every step reflected intent.

Mackenzie was a bright, promising student with her whole life ahead of her. Her tragic end—and the methodical evil that led to it—should never be forgotten.