Mackenzie Lueck Press Conference Transcript from June 27, 2019 at 10:00 am MST. Police Chief Mike Brown of Salt Lake City Police Department discusses the new leads, forensic trail, and suspect Ayoola Ajayi Fair Park, Utah. Click here for our post looking into the disturbing background of Mackenzie Lueck suspect Ayoola Ajayi .
MACKENZIE LUECK PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT 06/27/19
Christina Judd: Hi. Good morning. Thank you for being here. I’m Christina Judd. I’m the Public Relations Director for The Salt Lake City Police Department. I appreciate your patience and for you being here today. We are about to have an update from Chief Brown. I’d just like to remind everyone this is an ongoing, open, and very dynamic case. The facts may change as we pursue this case and we will continue to update you as much as we can. Given the nature of the case, we’re careful about that and trying to balance the public’s desire to know what’s going on and the integrity of the case. At this time, I’ll turn it over to Chief Brown.
Mackenzie Luezk Press Conference Transcript
Chief Mike Brown: Thank you, Christy. Good morning and thank you for being here. Last night we executed a warrant, one of many, that we have served in the missing Mackenzie Lueck case and we will continue to do so as we develop leads throughout this investigation. I want to say that no arrests have been made, however, the owner of the residence where we served the warrant last night IS a Person of Interest. Our detectives collected multiple items of evidence throughout the night that are in the process of being tested and analyzed. This will take some time. Last night several people made us aware of a mattress and box spring that were given away from the residence at 547 North 1000th West in Fair Park. We ask those who took those mattresses or box springs to please contact Salt Lake City Police Department at 801-799-3000. We would like to also collect those as part of this ongoing investigation, and so we would really appreciate your help. If you picked those up, please let us know. Like Christy said, it’s always been the policy and direction of the Salt Lake City Police Department to be open and transparent. This is a very active and ongoing investigation. We’re trying to balance the integrity of this investigation with what we can put out to the public. But we want to reiterate that we need the help of the public in this case. I want to thank the hours and hours of work that have been put in by our officers. Tireless hours, 24/7. We have been going and running hard from the moment we were contacted on Thursday of last week. Thank you to the officers, the women and men and the civilians of the Salt Lake City Police Department. They have done a great job. I also want to say that over the last couple days I’ve spoken with Greg Lueck [father of Mackenzie Lueck], and I can tell you I can feel the heartache and the pain and the suffering in his voice as we spoke. And my commitment to Greg was that we would do everything within our power, The Salt Lake City Police Department, to bring Mackenzie home. And that is our charge, and that is what we are committed to doing.
I can now take a few questions.
Reporter: Can you please clarify, is the homeowner free at this time?
Chief Mike Brown: Yes, yea.
Reporter: Is he cooperating?
Chief Mike Brown: He has spoken with our detectives. To that extent, I’m not sure.
Reporter: In regards to the mattress here, did he give this mattress away, or how did this come about, or what can you tell us about this mattress?
Chief Mike Brown: We’re not sure how or who we just know there was a mattress and a box spring that were given away last week.
Reporter: Did he live in North Salt Lake at the apartment across from the park at all?
Chief Mike Brown: That I’m not sure of.
Reporter: Are you able to say his name?
Chief Mike Brown: What’s that?
Reporter: The homeowner. Are you able to reveal his name?
Chief Mike Brown: No, we’re not identifying him right now. [*Note: His name has now been released as Ayoola Ajayi].
Mackenzie Lueck Press Conference Transcript
Reporter: The car that you towed out yesterday- was it the same car that you were looking for at Hatch Park?
Chief Mike Brown: That I don’t know. That’s part of the investigation.
Reporter: Chief, this morning a vehicle that typically belongs to the Medical Examiner’s office was at the scene, then left the scene. Can you tell us what they took away?
Chief Mike Brown: Well, as part of this investigation, they are part of the team. And so they were there with us last night. But as far as the extent of their activity is still part of the investigation and we won’t release that right now.
Reporter: Typically they’re not called unless you have a body or human remains—
Chief Mike Brown: —that’s not always true.
Reporter: You don’t call them willy nilly—
Chief Mike Brown: —right…but, again, that is still part of the investigation.
Reporter: [Audio cut out, not able to hear question] / [Continue Mackenzie Lueck Press Conference Transcript ]
Chief Mike Brown: That just came through investigation of our detectives, and with information that was secured in the warrant.
Reporter: [Audio cut out, not able to hear question] / [Continue Mackenzie Lueck Press Conference Transcript ]
Chief Mike Brown: That we’re not revealing that at this time.
Reporter: What’s this about a fire that was burning?
Chief Mike Brown: We’ve heard of that, and we’re looking into those leads but, again, we’re not sure how that plays into this investigation.
Reporter: Do you believe this homeowner is the same person she met at the park?
Chief Mike Brown: That we don’t know, and can’t confirm right now.
Reporter: Can you identify that person yet?
Chief Mike Brown: No.
Reporter: Chief, the homeowner’s apparently from Somalia, did you take his passport?
Chief Mike Brown: That I’m not sure. I’m sure the investigators have looked into all those leads right now.
Reporter: Have you been able to confirm there was any type of remains or anything found in the backyard when it was dug up?
Chief Mike Brown: No, we’re not releasing that information right now.
Reporter: Chief, I know you were in kind of a in a tough spot earlier on with her being an adult and having an expectation of privacy. It sounds like you got multiple warrants earlier in the week. Did any of those lead to any connection between the homeowner and Mackenzie?
Chief Mike Brown: Say that again?
Reporter: The warrants that you apparently got earlier in the week…I know there was a little bit of a delay…you can’t go searching around her private business…but it sounds like you got some of those warrants earlier in the week. Were they for her electronic devices and did they establish any connection between these two people?
Chief Mike Brown: That right now we don’t know. But we do know through the investigation this is a digital forensic investigation. This is covering computers, cell phones, IP addresses, URLS, texting apps, so this is very complicated and has a digital footprint our investigators have been following for…since last Thursday…so…
Reporter: You can’t say whether or not they’ve had a connection prior?
Chief Mike Brown: Right, not right now. Sorry.
Reporter: Are you worried about Mackenzie? Are you concerned for her safety? Do you think she may have been harmed or taken?
Chief Mike Brown: Of course I am! I absolutely am. As any parent would be concerned if they hadn’t heard from their son or daughter in the last week, so, absolutely.
Reporter: Do you know if foul play is involved, or do you suspect it might be?
Chief Mike Brown: We’re not…we’re not revealing that right now.
Reporter: Chief, yesterday on the Instagram account, it appeared Mackeznie’s account may have followed another account. Is that part of the investigation? Is that something that tipped you off towards this house?
Chief Mike Brown: Absolutely. I mean, all those things that you’re seeing, we’re looking at in great detail. So, yeah, those things are all playing a part in this investigation.
Reporter: So is that what lead you to this house? Was that “like” on that Instagram?
Chief Mike Brown: We’re not confirming what lead us to that, other than good detective work and the forensic digital footprint that we’re following.
Christina Judd: We’re going to take one more question.
Reporter: Is this still a missing persons case or…?
Chief Mike Brown: It’s still a missing persons…it’s a missing person’s investigation.
Christina Judd: Thank you.
Chief Mike Brown: Thank you very much.
Christina Judd: So, we will stay in the area to answer any of your clarifying questions and just encourage you to stay with us via our news line or our Twitter account, thank you.
[ End Mackenzie Lueck Press Conference Transcript]
