The Salt Lake Serial Killer
The story of a serial killer in Utah, targeting the homeless community of downtown Salt Lake City.
Homeless camp in downtown Salt Lake. photo by The Salt Lake Tribune.
When most people think of murder or violent crime, their first thought isn’t the “safe” and “friendly” state of Utah. Unfortunately, here in Utah, crime is much more common than we realize. Recently, there has been a series of murders in downtown Salt Lake City. These murders, mainly targetting people known as shadow people, are going unnoticed and ignored by the press and society as a whole.
Shadow people are people who live in the shadows, meaning, there is no known record of them, no family to claim them, no home to trace them back to, nothing. They are invisible to much of society. If they disappear, there is no one to report. Because of this, shadow people are one of the most targeted groups of individuals when it comes to violent crime in the United States.
In 2021 Manuel Perez, a resident of Miami Florida was one of the many homeless people killed by real-estate agent Willy Maceo. Maceo was not caught for several months after his first attack.
The most recent string of murders is in our very own downtown. A news article and podcast, Utah Stories is currently interviewing homeless individuals around Salt Lake and have discovered that several dozen of them have gone missing or been murdered in the past nine months. The Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD) has neither confirmed nor denied these statements. Eric Peterson journalist for Utah Stories, says that “lack of trust between the homeless community and the police is impacting their investigation into the 2021 murder of homeless individuals.”
One homeless single mother said that she believes “the lives of the homeless and those who have been squeezed out of the housing market are in peril and the SLCPD has made no comment about any ongoing investigations into finding the ‘serial killer.’” While the SLCPD has not said anything about the murders, that does not mean they aren’t doing anything about it. It is very likely that they are conducting a private investigation.
When the SLCPD PR was contacted, they gave a short and vague statement, saying they only knew about one body found near the Jordan River in the past two weeks. Not only is the SLCPD not saying anything about their possible investigation, but none of the murders have been covered on the news.
When reporter Richard Markosian interviewed several homeless people, one woman said that police have been arresting and releasing the same man for these murders since December 2021. There is no other public information on this suspect. Over 40 bodies have been found in or near the Jordan River.
Is Salt Lake City really as friendly as it seems? Is it home to a serial killer? While some people think this isn’t our problem, these things are happening without our knowledge and need to be uncovered.
Joel • Jul 30, 2023 at 4:03 PM
Is this still going on or what I’m confused.. anyway it’s sad to hear that other humans were being targeted and killed
Pook13 • Jul 16, 2023 at 4:04 PM
He bounces from SLC to Ogden there had been like 6 bodies found maybe more alone the Ogden river then it stops rumor has it he goes from the shelter in salt lake and the Ogden River back and forth who knows there might be other places as well but I find it kind of weird how it’s in a dense area in Jordan River area just like the Ogden River and the police are not telling ppl anything they’re saying they’re not suspicious deaths or they are investigating and that’s the end of it noting more. And that was only on two bodies that they did say that in the news that’s only because pistorians found them I witnessed it and heard it on the scanner one night they’re pulling a body out from the Ogden sign a woman come to find out a few months after witnessing it it’s a women not good friends of mine were friends with her family.. from what they say they talked to her that night she was fine the next thing they know they’re getting a call saying that she needs to be identified cuz she was severely beatin and was found along the river. From what I see from hanging out on the Ogden River trail and crossing passing getting to know some of these homeless people and feeding them and hanging out with them and what not let’s just say tons of them in the last 2 years or so have disappeared they’re not in jail they haven’t hopped the train sometimes I find their stuff scattered along the river like a shirt that I’ve seen them more something simple like that but I know for a fact it’s theirs …poof… but they’ve disappeared
Miranda Twitchell • Dec 16, 2022 at 10:25 AM
I have been homeless here off and on since I was stranded here in 2012. There are two different pairs on men who beat and rob us. There is a team male and female that rape us. A team of men and a single man. Then there is the one that was dumping women in dumpsters last year and this year the stabbing that started out at 6 and last count was 57 stab wounds before ending up in the Jordan. Plus you have the bodies that at hung, or mutilated and left on display. We the unconventionaly housed have been crying and yelling for help and all slc police do is tell us we can’t camp and to pack our stuff and move alone. Most has to do with outrageous rent and low wages. I have worked at least 75% of the time I have lived here and still live in a tent.
Anonymous • Sep 27, 2022 at 9:47 PM
“Shadow people” are normally associated with demons; in my 30+ years of experience.
Homeless is homeless. There is no need to demonize it or dress it up or down.
Utah has been booming with growth; they are HUMANS, being murdered.
Sarah • Sep 25, 2022 at 4:18 AM
I looked up his name and it says he was arrested in Florida for killing 2 homeless people. So why isn’t he in jail?
Amelia Ortega • Sep 22, 2022 at 6:03 AM
Denial. It’s so easy when everyone plays the game. Don’t let the world see that this city faces big city problems as others do. Pretend they aren’t there. The truly Christian thing to do is address the homeless needs. And protect this vulnerable population. If it were any other group of people it would not be met with silence. This is so shameful and harsh. Murder is a heinous crime. But it seems in SLC it can go on unchecked as long as only homeless people are dying.
Korie • Sep 22, 2022 at 2:35 AM
This is so scary. I am currently homeless and I believe I was targeted by these men. There isn’t just one man doing these killings word on the street and from what I experienced. There are 2 men.
Mike • Sep 21, 2022 at 7:52 PM
I lived out on those streets when those killings were goin on it was swept under the rug. It was never on the news we found out by word of mouth friends of mine found and seen bodies some in the Jordan river. People were scared to walk alone even the men a few of us stuck close and watched out for onr another.
Kathy Livingston • Sep 21, 2022 at 4:20 PM
My daughter is homeless in Salt Lake and we worry about her daily. She is addicted too alcohol and meth. We as a family love her and we tried for years to help her, but her answer is always I can quit on my own. She has 2 daughters. I wish there was a simple answer on how to fix the issue. For a large part of the homeless community just need jobs low income housing and access to Healthcare at the minimum of 2 yrs 2hile they get on their feet. People like my daughter that won’t give up on her addictions I don’t know. We have put her in God’s hands… They are preyed upon daily and she is also mentally ill.