Police in Utah have identified several people of interest in the double murder case of a newlywed couple who were shot dead at a campground near Moab last summer.
Kaelen Schulte, 24, and Crystal Turner, 38, were found dead in a watering hole in the South Mesa area of the La Salle mountain range on August 18.
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In a news release Thursday, the Grand County Sheriff’s Office announced that it had identified the two women’s deaths four days earlier as August 14, and they were both shot multiple times.
Evidence collected from the scene included the victims’ tent and personal belongings found inside and outside the tent and vehicle.
Blood, missile casings, bullet fragments and video evidence were also collected from nearby properties.
The mystery of who killed the newlyweds remains, as well as the motive behind their murder.
In its statement, the Grand County Sheriff’s Office said there was no sign of forced sexual assault on either victim.
Investigators said she had several important people on her radar, but so far no suspects or suspects have been officially identified.
Bridget Calvert, Schulte’s aunt, said the couple told friends the “scary guy” was making them uncomfortable in the days before they died.
The mysterious murders of Schulte and Turner, in the months that followed, were speculatively linked to the disappearances and eventual deaths of spouses Gabe Pettito and Brian Laundry.
There is no link between small washing
Police denied the speculation on Thursday, writing: “In the course of this investigation, there has been high speculation that Gabe Pettito and Brian Laundry were somehow involved in the double murder.
“After investigation, FBI and Florida investigators determined, based on evidence of the electronic transmission, that neither Pettito nor Laundry were involved in the case.”
The sheriff’s office then urged Moab residents to “be careful about sharing information on social media.”
“Such information tends to be misleading and inaccurate and is not helpful, if not dangerous, in the criminal investigation,” the police added.
Pettito, 22, was found dead at the sparse camping area in Spread Creek, Wyoming, on September 19. Investigators determined she was strangled to death several weeks ago, after she was last seen alive on August 24.
Laundry, 23, was identified as a key person in the case shortly after Gabe’s 9/11 disappearance was reported.
He had returned home to Florida without her on September 1 before disappearing on September 13.
Laundrie’s skeletal remains were recovered from a swampy area of Florida Nature Preserve on October 21. Investigators later determined that he died of a single bullet wound to the head.
Earlier this week, investigators announced that Laundry had claimed responsibility for Pettito’s murder in a notebook found next to his remains.
Before their deaths, Pettito and Londry were in Moab on August 12, during a layover on a cross-country road trip, touring national parks in the United States.
They were stopped by law enforcement on August 12 during a suspected domestic violence incident, but no charges were brought and the couple continued their journey after a night of separation.
Shoulder cleaning?
Laundry and Pettito are caught arguing outside the Moab Company as Schulte is believed to have been working as a cashier.
His father, Sean Paul Schulte, previously wondered if his daughter and Turner had played pool with Brian and Gabe at a local pub called Woody’s Tavern shortly before their deaths.
According to Sean Paul, it was at Woody’s Tavern where Crystal and Kylen mentioned to their friends a “creepy” guy that the couple were allegedly having problems.
Crystal and Keelen said the man was causing them problems and told their friends that they were planning to move to a different camping site.
The couple was found dead days later on August 18 in the area south of Mesa in the La Salle Mountains.
“We don’t know if it was him,” Sean Paul said of the man he played with Crystal Pool. “It was a couple. A young couple.”
Police said the investigation into the couple’s death was still ongoing.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Grand County Sherriff’s office at (435) 259-8115 or (435) 259-1397.
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