Newlywed couple Kylen Schulte and Crystal Turner, who lives in a conversion van, usually sets camp outdoors around Moab, Utah.
Turner’s workmates were alarmed on Monday, Aug. 16, when she failed to report in McDonald’s where she is working. After a couple of days, the 38-year-old Turner, along with the 24-year-old Schulte were found near their campsite in the La Sal Mountains — dead, with gunshots on their head.
The investigation on their death is currently being investigated but the suspect has not yet been identified, said Capt. Shan Hackwell in Tuesday’s news conference.
In a release dated Aug. 19, the sheriff’s office stated that “there is no current danger to the public in the Grand County area.”
“It’s hard to understand how they can say there’s no threat and also acknowledge that it’s a double homicide,” Bridget Calverrt, Schulte’s aunt, told The Washington Post, as reported by SFGate. “At the same time, I respect the ask for protecting the investigation if there’s information they have that can’t be released.”
“The Grand County Sheriff’s Department is committed to providing information and updates and being transparent during this process but not compromising the integrity of the case investigation,” Hackwell responded through a news conference.
Four days after the Utah officials pronounced that there is no threat in the area, the San Miguel County cautioned campers to be vigilant following the discovery of several weapons at an individual’s campsite near Telluride.
“In light of the past week’s double homicide of campers outside Moab, l want to caution people to be aware of their surroundings,” Sheriff William Masters warned through Facebook.
Schulte and Turner met up with friends in a bar last Friday, Aug. 13, their last appearance in public. During the meet-up, they brought up a certain man that causes them problems and wants them to transfer locations.
“They thought there was a weirdo, creepy guy,” Calvert said.
Turner did not show up for work the next Monday.
They were searched by crews on the ground while families asked for help online.
Calvert said a family friend found the vehicle of the two at a campsite last August 18. Schulte’s body was found and the friend notified her family and the authorities. Then, the police confirmed that the women were found dead in the mountains.
“That’s when all emotions changed, from hoping they’d be found in an accident and just needed help or were out of [cell] service range,” Calvert, who received the news through a group message, said. “By no means was that what we’d expected.”
“The evidence that we’ve gathered at this time, that’s what it’s led us to believe was an isolated incident,” Hackwell told KSTU, without recognizing the threat the killer can bring for the community at large.
