Found Deceased UT - MacKenzie "Kenzie" Lueck, 23, Salt Lake City, 17 June 2019

[MsBetsy]

I am not sure about plans for after graduation or whether or not she was planning on staying in Utah. For my friends who are a bit behind on the timeline, I try not to bring it up as some feel some negative emotions due to their taking a bit longer to finish it up. She was always very positive about pretty much everything!

Thank you for being here and sharing what you know about Kensie.
It's such an advantage to have a VI and everything you have shared is very much appreciated.
I hope they find her soon, and it turns out that she just wanted to go off on an adventure without telling anyone.

 

[margarita25]

Catching up,

Wow I just had a crazy thought how the Lyft driver could have continued with his other rides IF he was involved—-she could have been in the trunk!

Again that’s a BIG IF, and I’m not blaming him/her one bit, but just wanted to note how that could have been done, if that’s even the case!!

 

[yellowmoose]

Thank you everyone for the nice comments! I am super saddened obviously to be here but anything I can do to help I will. Thank you for all your kindness!

Also, noting the most recently posted comment, I have thought about the trunk possibility or coming back to her later as well.

 

[bestill]

Oh yeah this is one of the biggest shockers to me. She is in year 5 of college and trying to finish up, so bailing on a midterm likely means you’ll fail the class. So all her effort in that class prior to that point would be for none. She goes to class, studies, and takes her tests so this is really not something she would normally do.

Thank you for sharing your insight about your friend! We are all hopeful that she will be found safe soon.

You mention her missing her Monday exam to be shocking. Do you know when it was known that she missed it? I'm trying to get a better idea of when it was suspected something was wrong. Also, if she had an exam on Monday and had a late flight would it be unusual for her to not go straight home once she got her Lyft vs being dropped off at another location? I'm really wondering if she had an unknown relationship going on...jmo

 

[margarita25]

JUN 24, 2019
University of Utah student still missing one week after taking Lyft from Salt Lake City airport
[...]

Lueck's father told our Salt Lake City affiliate KUTV that they are working on getting subpoenas for her phone records.

This is exactly what I said, that this takes time sometimes and that they may not even have this information yet.

 

[moonriverfarm]

JMO but I doubt this is a voluntary absence. Something happened wherever she was dropped off involving someone at that location.

 

[MsBetsy]

Thanks. I am getting sense of her personality - thanks. Upbeat, positive, working toward graduation. Seems like someone people like knowing.

Being a mom of college-aged kids, future plans are a huge part of their conversations they have with their friends (as well as other topics too, of course.) But by senior year, their focus is definitely on the next stage of life. A bit surprising to learn she didn't discuss that. Doesn't necessarily mean anything other than being focused on the moment, rather than the future. But....that does sort of stand out to me.

jmo

It's not surprising to me. I remember in my senior seminar in college, the professor asked everyone what their career plans were.
Half the class did not have any set future plans, and a few were still unsure.
The other half had already sent out resumes and had job interviews.
Then there are those who plan to take a year off and travel before they decide what to do. Imo

 

[Kittybunny]

My theory on this has evolved but I've settled into a voluntary visit that turned into an involuntary missing, and possibly very dangerous situation. I won't or can't speculate on who she was with, but I do think some kind of relationship or encounter gone wrong. My personal opinion is that LE is sorting through her phone and electronic records to validate, confirm, and develop leads. I also think it's possible that they may not know who she went to visit until they get her phone records, OR they do know who it is, and that person is either a prominent and/or married citizen which LE has to tiptoe around and without probable cause, can not pressure or name in the press.

I have read carefully posts from those who are familiar with how LE agencies in Utah operate, and that their tight-lipped approach to this is NOT an indication that this a voluntary missing situation. We don't have true visibility into urgency or lack thereof - for all we know, LE is working fast and furious behind the scenes on any working theories and persons of interest they have. While there are a few anomalies in this, in how her family is reacting (or not), I think it's just still too early to reach a conclusion that they are leaning this way.

 

[ClaireNC]

Sorry I am still catching up to some of the questions! Someone asked how her friends or her sorority would feel about someone being lesbian I believe a few pages back. I know this would not at all be an issue in her circle of friends or in her sorority. Both groups are very accepting of this and that would not be any issue.

There was also a question about drug use. I do not have firsthand information about this, so I won’t comment on that.

Those were my questions. Thank you for answering!

It’s great that a gay relationship wouldn’t be something she’d hide. Unfortunately, that rules out one of my theories on a possible reason to voluntarily disappear.

Would it be safe to say: There are no warning signs of drug use, but we can’t 100% rule it out?

 

[MissMalowe]

Some friends have commented that they ordinarily have regular daily contact with MacKenzie; Did her friends or roommates know in advance the day she was set to return?
No one local person reported her missing. Not the University or one of her professors. Not her employer. Not her friends, sorority sisters, or roommates.

Why is this?
(Not judging or flaming anyone local for a lack of reporting her missing sooner) Just trying to gain a better understanding of the whole situation.

Everyone claims that missing work, missing classes and being unreachable by phone is completely out of character for MacKenzie.

Was there a reason for the few days "grace period" that is not being openly discussed?

Had she actually missed school or work
or phone contact here and there previously- Or for up to 3 days previously so by day 4 it became concerning this time and there are fears among her friends that if they were to have shared that, police and the general public would be less likely to take their concerns for MacKenzie as seriously?

Did friends or roommates just not know the date she was set to fly back, therefore weren't expecting her home yet and were unaware she was missing?

Just trying to make sense of the delay/reluctance to report immediately.

@yellowmoose

 

[margarita25]

Thinking more about the possibility of the Lyft driver being involved, again this is a big IF:

Some questions would be:

1) Was Kenzie’s destination changed at all during the trip?

2) WHEN did the driver get the call for his/her next ride—-Was it added to his pickup cue DURING Kenzie’s ride or was there a break with a wait for the next ride? If there was a break, how long of a period was it before he got the next call?

3) If the next rider call took some time to come in, where was he stationed as waited he for this call? Did he remain in that area waiting for the next call, or did he go to an area where he would be likely to score another ride, say downtown, near bars, etc.

4) Considering he may be last person to have seen Kenzie, would this constitute a SW on his vehicle, particularly a close forensic examination of his trunk?

—-

ETA this latest article answers a couple of these questions:

“They added that Mackenzie’s ride ended at the destination she originally entered and her driver continued providing rides immediately afterwards.”

Parents of college student who disappeared on way home from funeral ask public for help

 

[yellowmoose]

My theory on this has evolved but I've settled into a voluntary visit that turned into an involuntary missing, and possibly very dangerous situation. I won't or can't speculate on who she was with, but I do think some kind of relationship or encounter gone wrong. My personal opinion is that LE is sorting through her phone and electronic records to validate, confirm, and develop leads. I also think it's possible that they may not know who she went to visit until they get her phone records, OR they do know who it is, and that person is either a prominent and/or married citizen which LE has to tiptoe around and without probable cause, can not pressure or name in the press.

I have read carefully posts from those who are familiar with how LE agencies in Utah operate, and that their tight-lipped approach to this is NOT an indication that this a voluntary missing situation. We don't have true visibility into urgency or lack thereof - for all we know, LE is working fast and furious behind the scenes on any working theories and persons of interest they have. While there are a few anomalies in this, in how her family is reacting (or not), I think it's just still too early to reach a conclusion that they are leaning this way.

I agree. My theory at this point is that the NSL address is the address of someone she knew (or thought she knew) and trusted so it wouldn’t be out of character for her to go see someone that’s a friend. Even at that hour. She potentially trusted this person enough to go over in the middle of the night is my thinking. But I think something after her arrival happened that is not voluntary on her part.

 

[Inthedetails]

It's not surprising to me. I remember in my senior seminar in college, the professor asked everyone what their career plans were.
Half the class did not have any set future plans, and a few were still unsure.
The other half had already sent out resumes and had job interviews.
Then there are those who plan to take a year off and travel before they decide what to do. Imo

Right, but all those things are about the next stage of life. Just my observation (and memory) is that friends know what their friends plan to do after college - even if that is to do nothing, or to travel, or bum around, or go to grad school, or apply at a particular place in a particular city, or return home to parents, or panic because they have no plan, whatever. These aren't unusual conversations - no matter what the plans happen to be. You kinda know who is planning what (or not planning) by the time college courses are wrapping up.

But I'll stand corrected. Perhaps different groups have different conversations and this particular group doesn't talk to each other about life beyond college life. Understood.

jmo

 

[Inthedetails]

I agree. My theory at this point is that the NSL address is the address of someone she knew (or thought she knew) and trusted so it wouldn’t be out of character for her to go see someone that’s a friend. Even at that hour. She potentially trusted this person enough to go over in the middle of the night is my thinking. But I think something after her arrival happened that is not voluntary on her part.

Would it be out of character for her to show up at someone's place unannounced?

 

[PommyMommy]

[URL="https://twitter.com/RepChrisStewart/status/1143178453392547840"]Rep. Chris Stewart on Twitter [/URL](Utah's 2nd District Congressman)
@UUtah student #MacKenzieLueck has been missing since last Monday. I can't begin to comprehend how her parents are feeling. My heart is with them during this difficult time. If you know anything about her disappearance, please contact @slcpd. Praying for her safe return home!
9:25 AM - 24 Jun 2019

 

[na19]

I thought about the trunk possibility as well but that would be very risky. I wonder if LE searched his car or just cleared him based on the fact he continued giving rides. I don't think the Lyft driver had anything to do with it but I still hope he was vetted.

 

[margarita25]

I thought about the trunk possibility as well but that would be very risky. I wonder if LE searched his car or just cleared him based on the fact he continued giving rides. I don't think the Lyft driver had anything to do with it but I still hope he was vetted.

I feel for this Lyft driver if he/she had nothing to do with it. It’s a terrible place to be in.

 

[iluvmua]

Think more about the possibility of the Lyft driver being involved, again this is a big IF:

Some questions would be:

1) Was Kenzie’s destination changed at all during the trip?

2) WHEN did the driver get the call for his/her next ride—-Was it added to his pickup cue DURING Kenzie’s ride or was there a break with a wait for the next ride? If there was a break, how long of a period was it before he got the next call?

3) If the next rider call took some time to come in, where was he stationed as waited he for this call? Did he remain in that area waiting for the next call, or did he go to an area where he would be likely to score another ride, say downtown, near bars, etc.

4) Considering he may be last person to have seen Kenzie, would this constitute a SW on his vehicle, particularly a close forensic examination of his trunk?

LE has already said the Lyft driver is not involved.

 

[oviedo]

I agree. My theory at this point is that the NSL address is the address of someone she knew (or thought she knew) and trusted so it wouldn’t be out of character for her to go see someone that’s a friend. Even at that hour. She potentially trusted this person enough to go over in the middle of the night is my thinking. But I think something after her arrival happened that is not voluntary on her part.

Yes, this is what I am thinking as well. Someone was there and she was taken to another location IMO.

 

[iluvmua]

I thought about the trunk possibility as well but that would be very risky. I wonder if LE searched his car or just cleared him based on the fact he continued giving rides. I don't think the Lyft driver had anything to do with it but I still hope he was vetted.

LE has said that the Lyft driver is cooperating with them and that he/she is not involved.

Lyft even gave a statement that said he/she continued Picking up other rides after they drove Mackenzie to her location.