Search on for suspect after 3 women’s bodies found in Utah, 2 on hiking trail, authorities say

Authorities in Utah are searching for a suspect in the deaths of three women whose bodies were found Wednesday, two of them on a hiking trail, the state’s Department of Public Safety says.

The DPS says the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office got a call about those two and, as investigators probed their deaths, a third victim was found in a residence in the town of Torrey.

“Multiple scenes are being investigated and processed in Torrey and the surrounding areas,” the DPS said, adding that it’s helping the sheriff’s office seek the suspect.

The was no early word on how they died, what relationship there was among them, if any, or whether authorities had identified a suspect, CBS Salt Lake City affiliate KUTV reported.

The women’s names were being withheld pending notifications of their next of kin, the DPS says, but one was in her thirties, another in her sixties and the third was in her 80s.

The DPS says it’s asking for the public’s assistance in locating a 2022 white Subaru Outback with license plate U560YF.

And it stressed that, “As this remains an active investigation, with the suspect at large, law enforcement is urging residents in the Torrey and surrounding area to take extra precautions, such as locking doors, remaining at home or with others, and being vigilant about surroundings.

“Please report any suspicious activity to 911.”

Officials from the Wayne County School District said classes have been cancelled for the rest of the week “out of an abundance of caution and concern for student and public safety,” KUTV pointed out, adding that they also said counselors will be in place to support students when they return.

Torrey is near Capitol Reef National Park and the mountains of Fishlake and Dixie National Forests.