A suspect has been arrested in connection with the killing of three women in rural southeastern Utah after authorities tracked him across three states and into Colorado, officials say.
The suspect, who has not yet been publicly identified, was taken into custody early Thursday morning in Pagosa Springs, Colorado.
Authorities followed a vehicle linked to one of the victims from southern Utah through northern Arizona and into Colorado. Colorado authorities located the car abandoned in Pagosa Springs and arrested the suspect, KUTV reported.
“There are no ongoing threats to the public, and investigators have no outstanding suspects,” the Utah Department of Public Safety said in a statement.
The bodies of the three women, discovered Wednesday in Wayne County, triggered a multi-agency homicide investigation spanning the small tourist gateway community of Torrey (pictured) and surrounding areas (Getty)The arrest came hours after authorities launched an urgent manhunt following the discovery of three women dead in what officials described as a homicide investigation involving multiple crime scenes in Wayne County.
An investigation was launched after police received a call on Wednesday reporting two women found dead on a hiking trail. During the investigation, authorities discovered a third woman dead inside a nearby home.
Officials have not released the victims’ identities but said the women were in their 30s, 60s and 80s.
Investigators from the Utah State Bureau of Investigation and the Utah Crime Lab continued processing crime scenes Thursday in the communities of Torrey, Utah and Lyman, Utah.
Authorities had earlier asked the public to help locate a white 2022 Subaru Outback with Utah license plate U560YF that was believed to be connected to the case.
The killings rattled the sparsely populated county, where officials urged residents to remain indoors, lock their doors and keep lights on overnight while the suspect was being sought.
The Wayne County School District canceled classes for the rest of the week “out of an abundance of caution and concern for student and public safety.” Officials said counselors will be available to support students when schools reopen.
Wayne County, home to fewer than 3,000 residents, is a gateway for visitors heading to nearby national parks including Capitol Reef National Park.
Authorities have not yet said whether the three victims knew each other or the suspect. The investigation remains ongoing.
