A chilling discovery has rocked Salt Lake City as the body of 23-year-old college student McKenzie Leck was found burned and partially buried in Logan Canyon. Her disappearance, reported on June 20, 2019, led to a harrowing investigation that unveiled a dark tale of abduction and murder, culminating in the arrest of a suspect.
McKenzie, a dedicated student at the University of Utah, had returned from California after attending her grandmother’s funeral. Her last message to her mother was a simple, loving text, yet after landing back in Salt Lake City, she vanished without a trace. Days of silence from McKenzie raised alarms, prompting her parents to request a wellness check.
Police began their investigation by reviewing CCTV footage, confirming she had landed and taken a rideshare to Hatch Park. However, the trail went cold as McKenzie was last seen getting into a vehicle with an unknown individual. The Lyft driver reported that McKenzie appeared calm, but her fate soon took a tragic turn.
As the investigation deepened, detectives uncovered a web of McKenzie’s life that her family was unaware of. She had been using dating apps and had connections with various men, including a suspect named Aula Ayi, who had a troubling history. Ayi, who had been communicating with McKenzie days before her disappearance, became a focal point for investigators.
The search for McKenzie intensified, but it wasn’t until June 28 that the police identified Ayi as a suspect. Evidence collected from his residence, including a freshly dug area in his backyard, suggested he had attempted to dispose of McKenzie’s remains. Neighbors reported a foul smell emanating from his property around the time of her disappearance.
On July 3, investigators discovered McKenzie’s body, confirming the worst fears of her family. She had been brutally murdered, with evidence indicating that Ayi had planned the crime meticulously. He was charged with aggravated murder, aggravated kidnapping, and desecration of a human body.
In a 𝓈𝒽𝓸𝒸𝓀𝒾𝓃𝑔 twist, Ayi was found to have a history of violence, including past accusations of 𝒔𝒆𝒙𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝒶𝓈𝓈𝒶𝓊𝓁𝓉. His actions were described as premeditated, as he had turned off security cameras and attempted to cover his tracks after the murder. The community, still reeling from the news, mourned the loss of a bright young woman with a promising future.
McKenzie’s family, devastated by the loss, expressed their heartbreak and anger at the senseless violence that took their daughter away. They will never have the chance to celebrate her graduation, a painful reminder of the life stolen from them.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the Salt Lake City community grapples with the impact of this tragedy. McKenzie Leck’s story serves as a haunting reminder of the dangers that can lurk beneath the surface of everyday life. The quest for justice continues, as many await answers in this heartbreaking case.
