Investigators Have 'Persons of Interest' in Moab Murders of Crystal Turner and Kylen Schulte

A friend found the Utah newlyweds dead back on Aug. 18

Kylen Schulte and Crystal Turner
Kylen Schulte and Crystal Turner. Photo: Kylen Schulte Facebook

Late last week, authorities in eastern Utah revealed that they've developed several persons of interest in the gruesome, mid-August murders of newlywed couple Crystal Turner and Kylen Schulte.

But at this point, the Grand County Sheriff's Office does not have a solid suspect in the killings.

In a statement released on Thursday, investigators confirmed that they are still working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to review forensic evidence as well as video footage and behavioral analysis.

"GCSO continues to examine and analyze evidence by utilizing third-party and FBI crime labs," the statement reads.

Turner, 38, and Schulte, 24, had been married just four months when they were killed in August.

The couple lived in their van, moving from campsite to campsite, but primarily stayed in the Moab area.

They had left to go on a camping excursion on Aug. 13, and were last seen later that evening at Woody's Tavern in Moab.

Turner and Schulte left Woody's Tavern just after midnight, and returned to their campsite shortly before 1 a.m. on Aug. 14 — the last day anyone had contact with them.

Both women failed to show up at their jobs at 5:30 a.m. on Aug. 15.

A concerned friend discovered them dead from gunshot wounds on Aug. 18.

In text messages to friends and relatives in the days leading up to their murders, Schulte and Turner said they had been having problems with a strange, "creepy" man while camping in the La Sal Mountains, just outside of Moab.

Thursday's statement notes that widespread online speculation about the double homicide is stymieing investigative efforts.

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"GSCO request the Moab community be careful about sharing information on social media," the statement reads. "Such information tends to be misinformed, inaccurate, and unhelpful to the criminal investigation, if not dangerous.

Anyone with any information about the murders is asked to call authorities at 435-259-8115 or 435-259-1397.

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched online to help surviving relatives with funeral expenses and to pay for satellite imagery that may help yield a suspect.

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