The Utah man accused of kidnapping and murdering Mackenzie Lueck was banned from Utah State University after a 2012 theft investigation, according to school documents released Tuesday. Ayoola Ajayi, 31, was arrested after authorities suspected he stole an iPad from campus, according to campus police reports. During their investigation, police learned the Nigerian immigrant was overstaying his visa and alleged he was using the iPad to find a wife to avoid deportation. While Ajayi had stopped attending USU classes in 2012, police also discovered he was sleeping on residence hall couches and stashing his belongings in a janitor’s closet.
In August 2012, campus police booked Ajayi for alleged misdemeanor theft, though it is not known if he was ultimately charged. Authorities notified immigration services and the Nigerian consulate. “This letter is to inform you that if you feel you need to visit our campus you must first contact the Utah State University Police Department and have them escort you on and off campus,” Eric R. Olsen, the associate vice president for student services, wrote to Ajayi on Aug. 2, 2012. “If you violate this mandate, you will be cited for trespassing and will face additional legal consequences.” Ajayi was arrested on Friday for allegedly murdering Lueck, a 23-year-old senior at the University of Utah. Salt Lake City police believe Ajayi met Lueck early June 17 at Hatch Park in North Salt Lake, the last place she was seen alive. Details of the murder, or Ajayi’s motive, were not immediately known.
Read it at The Salt Lake Tribune
