Ivan Miller charged in Utah killings as communities mourn women found dead on trail and at home
ivan miller has been charged with aggravated murder in the deaths of three women whose bodies were found at two locations in South Central Utah, a case that has shaken families and small communities.
What we know about the allegations against Ivan Miller
Authorities have charged Ivan Miller, 22, with aggravated murder in the deaths of Linda Dewey, 65, and Natalie Graves, 34, an aunt and her niece found dead on a Utah trail earlier this week. He has also been charged with the same crime in the fatal shooting of Margaret Oldroyd, 86, who was not related to Dewey or Graves.
Charging documents filed Thursday in Utah allege that Miller, of Blakesburg, Iowa, confessed to the killings. The documents allege he told authorities he “did it because he needed money” after hitting an elk in Loa, Utah, selling his truck to a local tow company, and staying at a hotel for a few days.
The documents allege Miller shot Oldroyd in the head as she sat down to watch TV in her home in Lyman, then took her Buick but realized he did not like the car. The documents allege he drove to a nearby trail, encountered Graves and Dewey, and shot them. The documents further allege he stabbed Dewey when she continued to move.
Investigators allege he abandoned the Buick and took a Subaru that belonged to Dewey or Graves. The Utah Department of Public Safety said the husbands of Dewey and Graves later found their bodies near a trail head and called authorities.
Miller was arrested hundreds of miles east in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, after authorities tracked the location of a stolen key fob, the documents state.
How families and local leaders describe the impact
released through a family spokesperson, relatives of Dewey and Graves said the two women had been “bonding over the beauty of a hike in one of their favorite places on Earth — cherished by them and the community, considered to be a safe sanctuary. ” The family statement said, “They were murdered, ” adding, “We cannot comprehend why this happened. ”
The statement described Dewey as a wife, mother, grandmother and sister with a large extended family. “She was loved deeply and loved her family deeply, ” the statement said. “She was the heart of our family. ” Graves was described as a wife, daughter and sister who was “adored by her many friends and extended family members, ” and as “joy, sunshine and beauty embodied. ” The family said it needed time to mourn and could not publicly express its sadness and devastation.
In Lyman and surrounding communities in Wayne County, residents have also been mourning the loss of all three women. Lyman Mayor Burke Torgerson said the news was “a real gut punch” and that the community is not used to such violence. He said the town had been placed on lockdown for about 24 hours while authorities searched for the suspect, something he described as unusual and “foreign” in the town of less than 300 residents. Neighbors in surrounding communities were also told to stay inside and lock their doors as the events unfolded.
Torgerson said Oldroyd was married to his first cousin and that he had known her for a long time. He described the manner of her death as especially difficult and said the violence left residents struggling to understand how it could happen in a small community. He also said the community has begun showing support for the victims’ families and one another, including neighbors placing pink ribbons around town in remembrance.
What happens next in the case
In court Friday, Scott Van Zandt, a public defender representing Miller, said his client does not want to speak to police or media. Oldroyd’s relatives could not be reached for comment Friday.
The case centers on allegations outlined in charging documents and statements from officials and family members, as communities in South Central Utah mourn the deaths of Margaret Oldroyd, Linda Dewey, and Natalie Graves.
