Murders of Kylen Schulte and Crystal Turner

On August 18, 2021, the bodies of married couple Kylen Schulte (September 15, 1996 – c. August 13, 2021) and Crystal Turner (December 30, 1982 – c. August 13, 2021) were found in Moab, Utah, United States.^[1] Both victims were killed by gunshot wounds and had last been seen alive five days earlier. The case remains unsolved.^[2]

Background[]

The women were married on April 20, 2021, and often camped with their pet rabbit.^[3] Two days before they were reported missing, Brian Laundrie and Gabby Petito were stopped by officers of the Moab City Police Department. This fueled speculation of a connection between the cases.^[4]

Murders[]

Schulte and Turner were last seen the night of August 13, 2021 at a bar in Moab around 9:30 pm.^[5] The women were described as being deeply in love with focus and attention majorly on each other and that no one had followed them out of the bar.^[6] After the couple had been out of contact for three days, a local friend received a phone call from Schulte's father, who lives in Montana. The father reported that the couple had moved their campsite due to a "creeper dude" who they were scared of.^[3] The friend went looking for the couple's campsite in the La Sal Mountains near Moab on August 18, 2021 and was on the phone with Schulte's father when she discovered Schulte's remains.^[5][7]

The friend later told reporters that she feared for her safety after discovering Schulte's remains. She called police and did not continue to search for Turner. Turner's remains were also discovered, right near Schulte's remains.^[8] Both women were discovered undressed from the waist down in a creek close to the campsite, with multiple gunshot wounds on their backs, sides and/or chests.^[9]

Investigation[]

Responding police found a Kia Sorento, a camping tent, long term camping tools and supplies and a make shift rabbit shelter when they arrived at the scene.^[5] They obtained a search warrant for another vehicle; a 1987 Ford Econoline that had been left in the parking lot and later towed. Inside the Ford they found personal documents and a Bible.^[9]

In October 2021, authorities released an affidavit for a search warrant that had been signed in September 2021 and executed within twenty-four hours. It included investigation into a cell tower at Jimmy Keen Flats, near the campsite between August 13 and August 15, only for phones within a 2 mi (3.2 km) radius of the crime scene.^[10][11]

An anonymous local business contractor and a local private lending company have both offered separate $10,000 rewards for any information about the case as of November 2021.^[6]

In January 2022, the police announced they had a person of interest in the case, but he was cleared in February 2022.^{[citation needed]}

Reactions[]

A news release by the Grand County Sheriffs Office claimed that there was no believed current danger to the public. This claim was met with skepticism by friends of the couple who believe the statement was to protect the tourism industry while investigating the case.^[3] Others have raised speculation that the deaths of Laundrie and Petito are connected to the case, although law enforcement have ruled out any connection between the two cases.^[10]

Schulte's family started a fundraiser^[12] to help cover funeral costs for her and have directed others to a separate fundraiser for Turner after the fundraiser reached its goal.^[5]

See also[]

• List of unsolved murders
• List of solved missing person cases

References[]