LE Involvement

Capt. Shan Hackwell of the Grand County Sheriff's Office as been quoted in a few articles (Lipscomb). Sheriff Steven White has also been quoted.

Local law enforcement in Moab is "working with the FBI and the Utah State Bureau of Investigation" (Lipscomb).

The last locatable law enforcement press release is dated September 28, 2021, and was issued by the Office of the Grand County Sheriff. In the press release, the office refers to the women’s murder as a homicide. In the press release, the office acknowledges that tips received so far have ‘benefitted” the office, and that more information or tips are requested.

“We are asking that anyone that would have been in the South Mesa area between the dates of August 13th, 14th, and 15th contact our office with anything they may have seen or heard.” 1-435-259-8115

The “South Mesa” area is not defined. But sources report the couple were found shot dead in the “South Mesa area of the La Sal Loop Road” (Serna-Diez “Private”). A map with a pinpointed location is provided by Foxnews (Ruiz “Moab Murders”)­. The map is near the intersection of Road FR4651 and La Sal Loop Road.

Attractions in the area where the women were murdered include the Porcupine Rim Campground and La Sal Lookout Point. Both are highly rated tourist destinations (google maps). Also very nearby is the Whispering Oaks Ranch, “rustic-chic cabins on a 50 acre estate” (google maps). Additional areas nearby include Warner Lake and Brumley Arch. A bit farther away, on the other side of Moab, is the Potash Road Dinosaur Tracks and Petroglyphs (west of Moab) and Arches National Park (north of Moab). About an hour to the west of La Sal Loop Road is Canyonland National Park.

As of October 25, 2021, the last tweet that had emanated from the Utah Grand County Sheriff’s office was Jan 6, 2016,. Nonetheless, their twitter address is @GCSheriffUtah. An email is not given on the press release. A phone number is provided: 1-435-259-8115.

On August 19, the day after the two women’s bodies were found, the sheriff’s office stated “The Grand County Sheriff’s Office believes there is no current danger to the public in the Grand County area.”