The body of 23-year-old University of Utah student Mackenzie Lueck was found, with her hands zip-tied behind her back, in the Jordan River located in Logan Canyon, about 85 miles north of Salt Lake City.
Ayoola A. Ajayi, 31, was charged with murder after Salt Lake City police found traces of her remains and belongings in his backyard.
Suspicious items related to Mackenzie's murder was found by a city parks employee and was later confirmed by police divers on the scene.
Ajayi appeared in court on Monday for his hearing. He did not enter a plea.
Mackenzie Lueck had been missing since June 17 after she landed in Salt Lake City following a trip to El Segundo, California to attend her grandmother's funeral. She got a Lyft ride to North Salt Lake City around 3 AM and was never seen from since. Authorities arrested Ajayi, the last person to call Lueck at this home, located near the park where she was last seen.