The Sugar Murder: The murder of Mackenzie Lueck

This episode of Red Rum dives into the chilling true crime case of Mackenzie Lueck, a 23-year-old University of Utah student who vanished on June 17, 2019, after arriving home from a flight from California following her grandmother’s funeral. Despite being seen on surveillance footage exiting the airport and boarding a Lyft to Hatch Park—where she was last seen entering a waiting car—Mackenzie was never heard from again. Her disappearance sparked a multi-day search, but it wasn’t until a tip from a former police officer revealed her involvement with the sugar dating site Seeking Arrangement that investigators found a critical lead. Digital evidence, including a burner phone linked to suspect Ayula Ajayi, geofencing data, and online activity, pointed to Ajayi as the prime suspect. His suspicious behavior—including purchasing a new phone, staging alibi footage, and searching for ways to clean blood and dispose of a body—escalated the investigation. Cadaver dogs detected human remains near his fire pit, and later, a shallow grave in Logan Canyon confirmed Mackenzie’s body. Forensic analysis revealed blunt force trauma to the head, zip tie bindings, and signs of premeditation, including a secret room with hooks and a thumblock. Ajayi ultimately pleaded guilty to aggravated murder and desecration of a human body, sentenced to life without parole. The episode concludes with a tribute to Mackenzie’s vibrant life, her compassion, and the tragic loss of a future full of promise, while also addressing the complex realities of sugar dating with nuance and caution against reductive stereotypes.