Remains are discovered in a Utah County canyon 3 years after she vanished In the spring of 2015, a young Hispanic woman named Elizabeth Salgado, aged 26, embarked on a new chapter in her life, moving from her home in Chiapas, Mexico, to the city of Provo, Utah. She had recently finished a mission for the Mormon church in Mexico and was eager to learn English at the Nomen Global Language School. Her dreams were full of promise and the hope of building a new life. However, just three weeks after her arrival, her journey was tragically cut short.
On April 16, 2015, Elizabeth vanished without a trace while walking the familiar 18-block route from her school to her apartment. The bright afternoon seemed to swallow her whole, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions and a family plunged into a desperate search.
For three long years, Elizabeth's family held onto the hope of finding her alive. Their pleas for information were amplified by community efforts and even drew the attention of activist Elizabeth Smart. But the painful truth was discovered on May 18, 2018, when a man stumbled upon human remains in the rugged terrain of Hobble Creek Canyon, a mountainous area about 15 miles from where she was last seen. Dental records confirmed the devastating news: the remains belonged to Elizabeth Salgado. Her death was immediately considered suspicious, and the investigation shifted to a homicide case. Her body was found in a shallow grave, arranged in what a private investigator described as a "sleep-like position," leading to speculation that her killer may have had feelings for her.
The investigation into Elizabeth's murder has been a complex and frustrating journey for both law enforcement and her grieving family. While no arrests have been made, authorities have interviewed several "persons of interest." The family has voiced their belief that the person responsible was someone Elizabeth knew, as she was new to the area and had a small social circle. Investigators have explored various leads, including looking into a possible connection with Adam Durborow, a suspect arrested for another murder who lived miles from Elizabeth's apartment. Before she disappeared, Elizabeth had told her family that she felt like she was being watched on her way to school. A private investigator hired by the Salgado family has also theorized that the suspect is likely someone from her circle of friends from work, church, or the language center, and may be either Caucasian or Hispanic and speak Spanish. The case remains open and active, with investigators continuing to seek the crucial piece of information that will bring justice for Elizabeth Salgado.
