WAYNE COUNTY, Utah, March 5, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — A suspect sought in a manhunt after three women were found dead in Wayne County has been taken into custody in Colorado.
The male, whose name has not been released, was located early Thursday morning after investigators tracked one of the victims’ vehicles, says a statement from the Utah Department of Public Safety, issued at 7:40 a.m. Thursday.
“The vehicle was tracked through southern Utah into northern Arizona and eventually into Colorado,” the news release says.
“Colorado law enforcement located the vehicle abandoned in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, and, after a brief search, took the individual into custody without incident.
“The investigations continue into Thursday morning as members of the Utah State Bureau of Investigation and the Utah Crime Lab process two crime scenes in the Lyman and Torrey area.”
There are no ongoing threats to the public, and investigators have no outstanding suspects, the release says.
“We would like to thank the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Land Management, the Pagosa Springs (CO) Police Department, and the Archuleta, Sevier, and Kane County Sheriffs’ Offices for their support and assistance.”
An earlier release, issued by the DPS just after midnight Thursday morning, said the investigation began Wednesday afternoon after dispatch received a call about “two deceased females located on a hiking trail. During the course of the investigation, a third victim was located deceased at a residence in Wayne County.”
The three women were in their 30s, 60s and 80s, the release says. Their names and additional details are being withheld pending next-of-kin notification.
The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office suggested earlier Wednesday evening that people in the area shelter in place, and share any information if they saw a white Subaru Outback with a specific license plate. Without sharing the nature of the danger at that time, the agency asked anyone seeing the vehicle to not approach it, but instead call its office or 911 to report the sighting.
Gephardt Daily will share additional information as it is released.
