A 22-year-old man from Iowa is in custody in Colorado, charged with the murders of three women in Utah in what investigators allege was a violent spree to steal cars and money to fund his journey home.
Ivan W. Miller, of Blakesburg, Iowa, was arrested in Pagosa Springs, Colorado on Thursday after a multi-state manhunt, according to a statement from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office. He faces three counts of aggravated murder, a first-degree felony, and is awaiting extradition to Utah.
A Trail of Violence
The investigation began on Wednesday when the bodies of Linda Dewey, 65, and her niece, Natalie Graves, 34, were discovered near the Cockscomb Trailhead, a popular hiking spot off State Route 12 between Torrey and Teasdale. Their husbands found them after they failed to return from a hike.
According to court documents cited by police, the women were shot by a suspect who then dragged their bodies to a ditch. Investigators observed three spent .45 caliber shell casings and a shotgun shell near the scene. The suspect allegedly told authorities he shot Ms Graves in what he believed was the chest, and shot Ms Dewey twice in the body before stabbing her multiple times in the heart when she was still moving.
Police allege the motive was to steal the women’s white Subaru Outback. Miller reportedly stated he did not like a vehicle he had stolen earlier that same day and wanted to find another.
That first vehicle, a Buick LeSabre, belonged to 86-year-old Margaret Oldroyd, who was found dead in her home in Lyman, Wayne County. Court documents allege Miller had stayed the night in a shed on her property before entering her home and shooting her in the back of the head with a pistol while she watched television. He then hid her body in the basement and drove off in her car.
The Hunt and Capture
The investigation quickly identified Miller as a suspect. Using Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology and real-time tracking, authorities from multiple agencies, including the Utah Department of Public Safety, the FBI, and the Bureau of Land Management, followed the stolen Subaru’s movements through southern Utah, into northern Arizona, and finally into Colorado.
The vehicle was found abandoned in Pagosa Springs. After a search involving local police, the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office, drones, and K-9 units, Miller was apprehended without incident. He was found in possession of a concealed handgun and a large knife, police said. Bank cards belonging to all three victims were allegedly discovered in his wallet.
A Suspect’s Troubles and a Community in Mourning
Court records and police statements indicate Miller’s journey to Utah began with misfortune. On February 28, his personal vehicle was disabled after a collision with an elk in the Wayne County area near Loa. He subsequently sold his truck to a tow company.
He was also facing unresolved legal troubles in his home state. Miller had pending charges in Iowa for burglary, theft, marijuana possession, and being ineligible to carry a gun. In one prior incident, he had picked the lock on a state park cabin to seek warmth.
Authorities state there is no known connection between Miller and any of his alleged victims. The killings have devastated the small, tight-knit communities of Wayne County, leading to the closure of local schools on Thursday and Friday. The sheriff’s office urged residents to take extra precautions, such as locking doors.
The families of Linda Dewey and Natalie Graves issued a heartbreaking statement, describing their loss and the violation of a place they loved. “They were murdered. We cannot comprehend why this happened,” the statement read. They described Ms Dewey as a “loved deeply” wife, mother, grandmother, daughter and sister, and Ms Graves as “joy, sunshine and beauty embodied.” The Cockscomb area was, to them, a “safe sanctuary.” The families have requested privacy and plan to post pictures of their loved ones at the trailhead as a memorial.
Margaret Oldroyd was remembered by a neighbour as “the sweetest woman you’d ever meet,” who enjoyed working in her yard.
The Cockscomb Trailhead is located near the rugged red rock landscapes of Capitol Reef National Park, an area famed for its hiking trails. The events have cast a shadow over a region typically associated with outdoor beauty and tranquillity.
