In what was meant to be a day of enjoying the scenic beauty of southern Utah, 34-year-old Natalie Graves and her aunt, Linda Dewey, 65, were tragically killed on March 4, 2026. The two women, who shared a love for hiking, were at the Cockscomb Trailhead near Torrey when their lives were cut short. Their family described their hiking spot as a "safe sanctuary," a place where they were "bonding over the beauty of a hike in one of their favorite places on Earth."
When they did not return home as expected, their husbands went to the trailhead, where they made the devastating discovery of their bodies and immediately contacted authorities.
The investigation into the deaths of Graves and Dewey quickly led law enforcement to a second crime scene and a third victim. In the nearby town of Lyman, police found 86-year-old Margaret Oldroyd deceased in her home. Investigators determined there was no known connection between Oldroyd and the two hikers. The common thread in these brutal crimes was a man who, according to prosecutors, was motivated by a desire to steal vehicles and money to return to his home in Iowa.
The suspect was identified as 22-year-old Ivan W. Miller of Blakesburg, Iowa. According to charging documents, Miller's series of alleged crimes began after he hit an elk with his truck near Loa, Utah, a few days prior to the murders. After selling his damaged truck, he stayed in a local hotel for a few days. Miller allegedly told investigators that he then went to Margaret Oldroyd's home, where he hid and fatally shot her while she was watching television. He then stole her car but decided he wanted a different vehicle.
Miller then drove Oldroyd's car to the Cockscomb Trailhead, where he saw Graves and Dewey. According to court documents, he admitted to shooting both women and stabbing Dewey. He then allegedly stole their Subaru and fled the state. A multi-state manhunt ensued, and authorities were able to track Miller through the stolen vehicle's key fob and license plate readers. He was apprehended in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, early the next day. Upon his arrest, a concealed handgun and a large knife were found in his possession.
Ivan W. Miller was charged with three counts of aggravated murder. During questioning with law enforcement, he reportedly confessed to the killings, stating that "it had to be done." He is currently being held in a Colorado jail awaiting extradition to Utah to face the charges against him. The family of Natalie Graves remembered her as a wife, daughter, and sister who was "joy, sunshine and beauty embodied."
