Crime
Victims Identified in Wayne County Series of Killings
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
Agent Nic Graham Dies After Being Shot in Lakewood Police Shootout With Suspect Gabriel Garcia on RTD Bus
LAKEWOOD, Colorado — A Lakewood police agent who was critically wounded during a shootout with a suspect aboard an RTD bus has died, authorities confirmed. The fallen officer was identified as Nic Graham, a member of the Lakewood Police Department since 2019.
Graham was among four police agents injured Thursday evening when an armed confrontation erupted near Colfax Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard. A civilian bystander was also struck by gunfire.
The shooting followed a police search for a suspect connected to a hit-and-run crash reported earlier in the day.
Police said the incident initially began shortly before 3:45 p.m. Thursday, following a hit-and-run collision near Kipling Street and West 13th Avenue in Lakewood.
Witnesses told investigators that the suspect ran away almost immediately after the crash. However, they provided officers with a description that helped police identify and search for the individual.
Lakewood Police Public Information Agent John Romero said witnesses were able to give officers a useful description of the person who fled the scene.
Several hours later, at approximately 6:30 p.m., a Lakewood police agent recognized the individual boarding an RTD bus near Colfax Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard.
Officers approached the suspect at approximately 6:32 p.m. Police said the individual opened fire on officers, resulting in an exchange of gunfire.
Responding officers returned fire, striking the suspect. The individual was pronounced dead at the scene and was identified as Gabriel Garcia.
Garcia was reportedly on parole when the shooting occurred.
The circumstances surrounding the confrontation remain part of the ongoing investigation.
Four Lakewood police agents suffered gunshot wounds during the confrontation. Their injuries ranged from serious to critical, and all four were transported to nearby hospitals.
Despite receiving emergency medical treatment, Graham later died from his injuries.
One civilian bystander was also hit by gunfire and hospitalized. The person’s condition had not been publicly disclosed as of Friday afternoon.
Hospital updates released Friday morning indicated that two agents treated at Denver Health Medical Center had been released. Another remained hospitalized, while officials had not provided a complete update on the remaining injured individuals.
Graham began serving with the Lakewood Police Department in 2019 after graduating from the police academy.
Throughout his law enforcement career, he contributed to criminal investigations and earned recognition for his work.
One of his notable achievements came in 2023, when he received the department’s Special Investigations Unit Wingman Award for his contributions to investigations targeting gang members.
Police Chief Philip Smith paid tribute to Graham, highlighting his dedication, compassion and commitment to helping others.
Chief Smith said Graham demonstrated those qualities throughout his career, from his early days on patrol to his investigative work.
His death has left the department and the wider Lakewood community grieving the loss of an officer who dedicated his career to public service.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities examine the circumstances that led to the deadly confrontation.
The shooting resulted in the death of suspect Gabriel Garcia, the fatal injury of Agent Nic Graham, injuries to three additional police agents and a civilian bystander.
Officials have not released a final investigative account of the incident. Further updates are expected as investigators establish the complete sequence of events.