22-Year-Old Iowa Man Charged in Utah Triple Homicide After String of "Convenience" Killings

22-year-old Ivan Miller arrested for the murder of three women in Utah. Prosecutors allege he killed to steal cars for his trip back to Iowa.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 6, 2026, 8:07 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from News Channel Nebraska.

A Path of Violence Across the Desert

The investigation into a series of brutal killings began on Wednesday when the husbands of two hikers discovered their wives' bodies at a trailhead in south-central Utah. Ivan Miller, a 22-year-old from Blakesburg, Iowa, is accused of murdering 65-year-old Linda Dewey and 34-year-old Natalie Graves just ten miles from the site of another homicide. Authorities allege Miller ambushed the aunt and niece as they exited their vehicle, killing them to steal their Subaru because he was dissatisfied with a Buick he had stolen earlier that day.

The First Victim and a Need for Transportation

Prior to the trailhead killings, Miller allegedly sought refuge in a shed on the property of 86-year-old Margaret Oldroyd in the small town of Lyman. Prosecutors claim Miller shot Oldroyd from behind while she was watching television in her home, then hid her body in a cellar beneath the shed. Miller told investigators that he needed transportation and money to get back to Iowa after his own truck was totaled in a collision with an elk several days prior. He reportedly targeted the women solely for the convenience of their cars and credit cards.

Multi-State Manhunt and Arrest

Law enforcement tracked Miller across state lines using license plate recognition technology and vehicle tracking services. The search moved from Utah through northern Arizona and eventually into southwestern Colorado. Miller was apprehended on Thursday in Pagosa Springs after abandoning the stolen Subaru. At the time of his arrest, he was found in possession of a large knife and a .45 caliber pistol. He remains in Colorado custody pending an initial court appearance and eventual extradition to Utah to face aggravated murder charges.