Authorities have arrested a suspect linked to the deaths of three women after tracking him through several states in the western United States.
Officials said the suspect, 22-year-old Ivan Miller of Blakesburg, Iowa, was taken into custody Thursday after investigators traced one of the victims’ vehicles across state lines.
According to the Utah Department of Public Safety, the vehicle was tracked from southern Utah into northern Arizona and eventually into Colorado.
Law enforcement officers later located the vehicle abandoned in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. After a brief search in the area, the suspect was arrested without incident.
Authorities said there are currently no ongoing threats to the public and no other suspects are being sought.
The investigation began Wednesday afternoon when officials received a report about two women found dead along a hiking trail in Wayne County, Utah.
While examining the case, investigators discovered a third victim dead inside a residence in the same county.
According to Utah Highway Patrol spokesperson Lt. Cameron Roden, the victims were women in their 30s, 40s and 80s. Earlier reports had initially suggested one of the victims was in her 60s.
The elderly woman found inside the home did not appear to be related to the two victims who had been hiking. Authorities have not yet publicly released the names of the victims.
Wayne County, located about 200 miles south of Salt Lake City, has a population of roughly 2,500 residents. The region is known for its outdoor attractions and draws hikers and tourists because of nearby sites such as Capitol Reef National Park, Canyonlands National Park and Fishlake National Forest.
Authorities described the case as a homicide investigation but have not yet revealed how the victims died.
The Utah State Bureau of Investigation and the Utah Crime Lab are currently examining two crime scenes in the Lyman and Torrey areas.
Before the suspect was arrested, officials had urged residents to remain alert and take safety precautions such as locking doors and avoiding being alone.
The manhunt led to several closures in the community earlier Thursday, including the Wayne Community Health Center, Kazan Memorial Clinic and the Wayne County Courthouse. The Wayne County School District also announced that schools would remain closed for the rest of the week, with counselors expected to support students when classes resume.
