The grieving families of two women, who tragically lost their lives while hiking on a beloved trail, are speaking out about their loss.
Linda Dewey, aged 65, and her 34-year-old niece, Natalie Graves, met a tragic fate at the hands of 22-year-old Ivan Miller on Wednesday near Utah’s Capitol Reef National Park.
Miller was apprehended in Colorado the following day and reportedly admitted to the murders. Authorities revealed that he allegedly shot the women to steal their vehicles and money.
In a heartfelt statement shared with KSL, the family expressed, “Our hearts are shattered by the sudden loss of two beloved family members who were sharing a special moment in a place they adored — a sanctuary cherished by both them and the community.”
“They were murdered. We are struggling to understand why this senseless act occurred.”
The women, who cherished their hiking adventures in Wayne County, an area celebrated for its stunning landscapes, were fatally shot at the Cockscomb Trailhead.
The family’s tribute to Dewey remembers the the 65-year-old as ‘a wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister and had many extended family members and friends all over the world.
‘She was loved deeply and loved her family deeply. She was the heart of our family,’ they added.
Linda Dewey, 65, was gunned down alongside her niece on Wednesday as she got out of her car
Natalie Graves, 34, was shot dead at the Cockscomb Trail car park near Torrey, Utah, during a visit to her aunt and uncle
In a moving statement for Graves, the family remembers her as ‘a wife, daughter and sister, adored by her many friends and extended family members.
‘She was joy, sunshine and beauty embodied.’
The family added that they need time to mourn, saying words cannot describe the devastation they are feeling.
The horrific discovery of the two women’s bodies also led police to a third victim, 86-year-old Margaret Oldroyd.
Oldroyd’s next-door neighbor, Randy Jones, said he was shocked by her death and described her as ‘the sweetest woman you’d ever meet,’ according to the Associated Press.
The 86-year-old’s body body was found in her Lyman, Wayne County, home.
According to court documents, Miller allegedly shot her in the head, dragged her to the basement, and attempted to clean up the crime.
The 22-year-old stole Oldroyd’s Buick but decided he ‘did not like the car’ and started looking for a different one, the court documents said.
Miller allegedly shot local grandmother Margaret Oldroyd, 86, in the back of the head in her home and stole her car
Ivan Miller, 22, was charged with three counts of aggravated murder for allegedly killing three women in rural Utah
The two women were gunned down at the head of the Cockscomb Trail moments after they got out of the car. Miller allegedly dragged their bodies into a dry creek bed
Authorities said Miller then spotted Dewey and Graves at a trailhead outside Capitol Reef National Park as they got out of a white Subaru.
Miller approached the pair and allegedly shot Graves in the chest.
He then allegedly shot Dewey twice and ‘stabbed her multiple times in the heart’ after she kept moving, prosecutors claimed.
Court documents said that Miller stole their car, took their credit cards and used the older hiker’s card to buy gas.
The 22-year-old was was charged with three counts of first-degree felony murder and set his next Colorado court date for May 14, per KUTV.
