Crime
3 Women Found Dead in Wayne County, Suspect Ivan Miller arrested
WAYNE COUNTY, Utah — A 22-year-old man has been charged in connection with a series of killings in rural Utah that left three women dead and triggered a multi-state manhunt across the western United States, according to prosecutors and law enforcement officials.
Authorities say Ivan Miller, of Blakesburg, Iowa, is facing three counts of aggravated murder after investigators determined the killings were allegedly carried out in an attempt to steal vehicles and money so he could travel back to Iowa.
The investigation began Wednesday when dispatchers in Wayne County received a report of two women found dead along a hiking trail near Torrey.
According to officials with the Utah Department of Public Safety, the agency’s State Bureau of Investigation and Crime Lab were requested by the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office to assist with the case.
Investigators say the victims were identified as Natalie Graves, 34, and Linda Dewey, 65, who were related as niece and aunt.
According to prosecutors, the women had traveled to the area for a hike. When they failed to return, their husbands drove to the trailhead to look for them.
Upon arrival, the men discovered both women dead and their vehicle missing, prompting an emergency call to authorities.
Investigators say the victims had suffered gunshot and stab wounds, and their bodies had reportedly been placed in a dry creek bed in an apparent attempt to conceal them.
As detectives expanded the investigation, they discovered a third victim: Margaret Oldroyd, 86, who had been killed at her home in the town of Lyman.
Prosecutors say Miller had been staying in a shed on Oldroyd’s property after experiencing vehicle trouble days earlier near Capitol Reef National Park. Miller reportedly told investigators that he had struck an elk with his vehicle and later sold the damaged truck to a tow company, leaving him stranded.
According to charging documents, Miller allegedly shot Oldroyd from behind while she was watching television, then hid her body in a cellar beneath a shed on the property before stealing her Buick.
Authorities say Miller later parked the stolen Buick near a trailhead but decided he wanted a different vehicle. When Graves and Dewey arrived in a white Subaru Outback, prosecutors allege Miller killed them and stole their car in order to continue traveling.
Investigators eventually identified Oldroyd after tracing the Buick that had been left behind at the trailhead where the hikers were found.
The killings sparked a widespread search effort involving multiple law enforcement agencies. Investigators tracked Miller using license plate reader data and vehicle tracking technology, which indicated he traveled from Utah through northern Arizona before continuing into Colorado.
Authorities say the stolen Subaru was later abandoned near Pagosa Springs.
Following a brief search in the area, officers located and arrested Miller. According to officials, he was allegedly armed with a large knife and a .45-caliber pistol at the time of his arrest.
Prosecutors say Miller admitted during questioning that he committed the killings in order to obtain vehicles and credit cards, which he planned to use to get money and travel back to Iowa.
Investigators have indicated that the victims were not known to the suspect and that the attacks appear to have been random and motivated by opportunity rather than personal connections.
The case remains under active investigation as authorities continue reviewing evidence and preparing formal charges.
Officials say additional details will be released as court proceedings move forward.
Crime
DeShaun Chatman Says Girl Found Dead in Suitcase in Cleveland Was His Missing Daughter, He Searched for 8-Year-Old Mila Chatman for Five Years
A Cleveland father says one of the two young girls whose bodies were discovered buried in suitcases earlier this week is his missing daughter, a child he says he had been desperately searching for over the past five years.
DeShaun Chatman told reporters that 8-year-old Mila Chatman, one of the victims identified by investigators, is believed to be his daughter. Chatman said he had spent years attempting to locate and regain contact with the child through legal channels and by reaching out to authorities.
“I’ve been looking for my daughter for five years,” Chatman said. “I’ve been calling child protective services, going to the courts, trying to get emergency custody, and calling the police for welfare checks. But they denied all access.”
The tragic discovery occurred Monday evening in Cleveland after a local resident walking his dog noticed the animal repeatedly sniffing around a field near East 162nd Street and Midland Avenue.
The man contacted police after the dog led him to a partially buried suitcase. When officers responded to the scene, they located a shallow grave containing a suitcase with the body of a young girl inside.
As investigators canvassed the surrounding area, they discovered a second shallow grave nearby containing another suitcase with the body of another child.
Authorities later identified the victims as Mila Chatman, 8, and her half-sister, Amor Wilson, 10.
Both girls were found inside the suitcases buried in the field. The Cleveland Division of Police continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
Investigators subsequently arrested the girls’ mother, Aliyah Henderson, on Wednesday evening. She is currently facing charges of murder and endangering children in connection with the deaths.
Following the discovery, Chatman visited the site where the girls were found. A memorial has since formed there, with community members leaving flowers, candles, and stuffed animals in remembrance of the children. Witnesses described Chatman being visibly distraught as friends comforted him at the scene.
“What I’m feeling is hate. I’m not going to lie, I feel hate,” Chatman said while speaking about the loss. “I just want my daughter.”
Chatman said the last time he saw Mila was several years ago when he helped purchase clothing for her kindergarten school year. He alleged that the child’s mother had avoided contact with him and frequently moved residences, making it difficult for him to locate the girl.
“I don’t get how you can hate your kids enough to kill them,” he said. “To bury them. To do all this, go right to that home and live there when your kids are right here.”
The grieving father is now calling for changes to family court and child welfare laws, saying he believes the current system prevented him from being able to protect his daughter and maintain contact with her.
“Change these laws. Make it better,” he said. “A man does have a say in their child’s life, married or unmarried.”
Chatman also confirmed that he is currently cooperating with investigators and undergoing DNA testing to formally confirm paternity as part of the ongoing investigation.
“I’m still in contact with the detectives,” he said. “We’re doing the DNA samples, so I’ll get more details within the next couple of days.”
Authorities say the investigation remains ongoing, and additional details are expected to be released as detectives continue working to determine when and how the two children were killed.