SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC4 News) – On Wednesday, Salt Lake County’s district attorney announced charges against Ayoola Ajayi in connection with Mackenzie Lueck’s murder.
“Mackenzie’s last text to Ajayi that morning was at 2:58 a.m,” said District Attorney Sim Gill.
“We have cell phone data information that places both of them at Hatch Park during that time,” added Gill.
Gill cited cell phone evidence, which shows the 23-year-old University of Utah student had been texting with the suspect in the early morning hours before her disappearance.
In addition, charging documents show cell phone records place Ajayi up Logan Canyon about a week later — and that’s where investigators finally found her body.
The questions, according to former prosecutor and current defense attorney Kent Morgan, are many.
“Is this truly all they have?” said Morgan.
He says cell phone evidence is not witness testimony, which could make the case harder to prove.
“All of this evidence is lacking an eyewitness as to what happened. All of this evidence requires you to draw inferences from the forensic evidence,” said Morgan.
“What we have is geek evidence — that shows where phones are. What we have is post-death evidence that shows where the deceased was and what happened to the deceased. What we’re missing is who did it. And what was the motive for it?” said Morgan.
Ajayi is expected to face a judge for the first time in the coming days.
