In the winter of 2000, the life of Herbert J Strehl, a 75-year-old Caucasian male, came to a violent and mysterious end. An immigrant from Germany who had built a successful tool and die company in Salt Lake City, Utah, Strehl had recently stepped back from his business to enjoy more time with his children and grandchildren. He was known as a friendly and generous, yet private man. The circumstances leading to his death began to unfold on the afternoon of Sunday, December 3rd.
A neighbor observed Strehl leaving his Olympus Cove home in his gold 2000 Jeep Cherokee, followed by an unidentified person driving Strehl's other car, a green Mercedes. When both vehicles returned around 5 p.m., the neighbor noted that Strehl appeared unusually "focused" and serious. An hour and a half later, the Jeep was seen leaving the residence again, this time with two individuals inside who seemed to be in a hurry.
That evening, a passerby discovered a body in a quarry within Parleys Canyon and alerted the police. The deceased was identified as Herbert Strehl. He had been bound and shot multiple times in the head. Investigators were initially uncertain if the quarry was the primary crime scene or if he had been killed elsewhere and his body dumped there. It is believed that the perpetrators fled in Strehl's gold Jeep Cherokee, which was never recovered. The investigation into his murder has remained open, but no arrests have ever been made, and no specific suspects have been publicly identified. The case is now considered a cold case, with the Unified Police Department still seeking information.
Detectives explored various motives, including robbery, given the execution-style nature of the killing. However, they also delved into Strehl's business dealings. One area of interest was a past issue where his company, Tool Design & Engineering & Mfg., had been ordered to clean up soil contaminated with lead and chrome in 1989. Instead of complying, Strehl had reportedly ordered the soil to be illegally dumped. Additionally, in the year before his death, Strehl's attorney had been disbarred for his involvement in a cover-up. The company had also experienced layoffs, suggesting potential financial troubles. Despite these issues, former employees described Strehl as a demanding but fair boss, and there were no apparent signs of disgruntled workers who might have wished him harm. Whether his murder was a targeted act related to his business or a random act of violence remains unknown, leaving his family still searching for answers.
