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.