A 22-year-old man from Iowa was taken into custody early Thursday in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, following the deaths of three women in Utah's remote Wayne County.

Law enforcement tracked suspect Ivan Miller through southern Utah and northern Arizona using license plate readers after discovering the victims on Wednesday afternoon. Two women, one in her 30s and one in her 60s, were found dead at a trailhead off state Route 12 near Torrey, close to Capitol Reef National Park. Their husbands reported them missing around 4:30 p.m. after they failed to return from a hike.

A third woman, in her 80s, was later found dead in her home in the nearby town of Lyman. Investigators believe she was killed first, after which Miller stole her 2022 white Subaru Outback bearing Utah license plate U560YF. He then drove to the trailhead parking area, where authorities suspect he killed the two hikers before fleeing in another vehicle. The Subaru was abandoned in Pagosa Springs, leading to his capture without incident.

Utah Department of Public Safety spokesman Lt. Cameron Roden said there is no evidence the victims were targeted or had any known connection to Miller. "We have nothing to suggest they were targeted," Roden stated, adding that detectives are working to determine why the suspect was in Utah. One report indicated the killings may have been random, possibly related to the vehicles.

The manhunt prompted widespread alerts Wednesday evening. Wayne County officials urged residents to lock doors, keep lights on, and report suspicious activity. Schools closed Thursday and Friday, and the county courthouse shut down. Neighboring agencies, including the Garfield and Sevier County sheriff's offices, assisted, along with the Utah State Bureau of Investigation and crime lab teams processing the scenes.

Miller, originally from southeast Iowa, was held Thursday at the Archuleta County detention center in Colorado on a weapons charge. Authorities recovered a concealed handgun and a large knife from him. No charges have been filed yet in Utah, and victim names remain withheld pending family notifications.

Roden noted the tragedy would shake the small community. "It’s going to be something that definitely shakes the community for a little while," he said. "We want, as law enforcement officers, to help them get back to normal as much as we possibly can." There is no ongoing threat to the public, and no other suspects are being sought.

Wayne County, with a population under 3,000, sits in southern Utah amid scenic national parks and forests, drawing hikers and tourists. The investigation continues as details emerge about the seemingly random violence.