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Dateline

DATELINE NBC EXCLUSIVE: DETECTIVES IN MURDER INVESTIGATION OF COLLEGE STUDENT MACKENZIE LUECK SPEAK OUT FOR THE FIRST TIME

March 22, 2021 Dominique Cuce

Detective Wiley Reveals Killer Continued to Frequent Dating Site He Used to Meet Lueck Even After Police First Contacted Him

The Waiting Car Airs Thursday at 10pm ET/9pm CT

Monday, March 22 – For the first time on network TV, the lead detectives in the murder investigation of college student MacKenzie Lueck speak out to NBC News’ Keith Morrison in a new Dateline NBC airing Thursday at 10pm ET/9pm CT. 

Detective Nate Wiley reveals to Morrison that after police first contacted Ayoola Ajayi as a potential suspect, Ajayi continued to frequent the same dating site he had used to meet and then murder Lueck. Wiley said, “I mean you look at his profile pages on these sites and he comes across a gentleman, somebody that he truly isn’t and that’s the whole cautionary tale is you never know. Are they actually who they really say they are?”

To watch the exchange, click here. 

The broadcast also features an exclusive interview with the Lyft driver who dropped Lueck off the night of her murder, as well as rarely seen interrogation and surveillance footage from the investigation. Morrison also speaks with Lueck’s friends Ashley Fine and Kennedy Stoner, private investigator Rob Joseph and more. 

Lueck was murdered in 2019 after landing home in Salt Lake City and taking a Lyft to meet Ajayi, whom she had connected with on a site for young women looking to meet prosperous men.

Interview Excerpt

Detective Nate Wiley: Even after we had made contact with him, he was still on that page, still trying to get a date.

Detective Tiffany Sayes: We don’t know why, you know, some selfish jerk used his position on a dating website to somehow ensnare this bright pretty woman and for what?

Detective Nate Wiley: I mean you look at his profile pages on these sites and he comes across a gentleman, somebody that he truly isn’t and that’s the whole cautionary tale is you never know.  Are they actually who they really say they are?    

###    

For More Information:

Dominique Cuce
NBC News
e: Dominique.Cuce@nbcuni.com

Dateline NBC is the longest-running series in NBC primetime history and is in its 29th season. Dateline is anchored by Lester Holt and features correspondents Andrea Canning, Josh Mankiewicz, Natalie Morales, Keith Morrison and Dennis Murphy. Airing Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT and Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, Dateline is the #1 Friday newsmagazine and reaches more than 17 million people every week through its broadcast, and millions more through its social media platforms and podcasts. Additionally, Dateline closed out 2019-2020 broadcast season as the #1 Friday newsmagazine across the board. David Corvo is the senior executive producer, and Liz Cole is the executive producer.

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