Utah’s scenic canyons and national parks became the site of a chilling tragedy when officials in Torrey, a small town in Wayne County, responded to a pair of distraught men who had discovered the bodies of their wives—friends who had vanished during a hike on a nearby trail. The grim discovery set off a multi-state manhunt and led to the identification of a third victim, a woman in her 80s, prompting authorities to close schools for two days. The suspect, 22-year-old Ivan Miller of Blakesburg, Iowa, was arrested on Thursday after his stolen car was tracked from southern Utah into northern Arizona and eventually Colorado. Utah DPS confirmed he faces three counts of first-degree aggravated murder. According to an indictment, Miller allegedly confessed to the killings, claiming he acted out of financial desperation. Law enforcement emphasized he had no known ties to the victims or the area. The investigation began when officials received a call on Wednesday afternoon about two deceased women found on a hiking trail. Bullet casings and shotgun shells were recovered at the scene, and a third victim was later discovered at a residence in Wayne County. The victims’ identities have not been disclosed. Prior to the killings in Torrey, Miller allegedly murdered an older woman in her home about 15 miles away in Lyman, Utah. Court documents state he had been staying at a hotel after hitting an elk with his truck, which he sold to a tow company. He spent the night in the victim’s shed before entering her home when she left. Miller waited until she returned, then shot her in the back of the head while she watched TV. He cleaned the scene, dragged her body to a cellar under the shed, and later stole her vehicle. Miller then traveled to the Torrey trailhead, where he killed two women in their 30s and 40s.#wayne_county #torrey #ivan_miller #blakesburg #utah_dps
