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Suspected killer's eerie home renovation request before student's death

A man accused of kidnapping and murdering a young woman reportedly gave a builder a “weird” request for a home renovation months before his arrest.

Ayoola A. Ajayi, 31, was arrested on Friday for allegedly murdering 23-year-old Salt Lake City woman Mackenzie Lueck who went missing on June 17.

Ms Lueck had arrived at the airport in the US state of Utah and then took a rideshare to a park when she disappeared. Police said they found charred remains belonging to her at Ajayi’s home.

The pair had been texting in the lead up to her disappearance, police said.

Handyman Brian Wolf told Fox News after Ajayi’s arrest the 31-year-old had been in touch with him on April 4 about home renovations.

Pictured is Mackenzie Lueck, 23, who went missing from Salt Lake City's airport on June 17. On Friday, Ayoola Ajayi, 31, was arrested accused of murdering her.
Mackenzie Lueck, 23, who was found dead after going missing from Salt Lake City's airport on June 17. Source: Facebook/ Find MacKenzie Lueck

Mr Wolf told the station Ajayi wanted a “weird room” built in his basement. He claims Ajayi wanted it to be soundproof.

The builder said he wasn’t concerned at first until Ajayi made a number of other requests.

Mr Wolf claims Ajayi wanted a “secret door” that was about 120cm wide and more than two-and-a-half metres long.

A mugshot of Ayoola A. Ajayi, 31, who has been charged with murdering Mackenzie Lueck, 23, of Salt Lake City.
A mugshot of Ayoola A. Ajayi, 31, who has been charged over the murder of Ms Lueck. Source: AAP

“(He) slowly started sidestepping into more stuff, like wanting a thumb lock on it with a fingerprint lock, and soundproofing it, and putting hooks in the concrete – it was just weird what he was asking me," Mr Wolf said.

Mr Wolf claims when he asked Ajayi about the requests he told him it was for a wine cellar.

Ajayi told the builder he wanted the hooks to hang up wine racks and soundproofing so he could listen to music while drinking, Mr Wolf said.

He added he wanted the work done quickly because his girlfriend, a Mormon, was due to visit.

She also didn’t know he was a drinker, which Ajayi wanted to keep under wraps.

Police officers stand in front of the home, right, of Ayoola A. Ajayi Friday in Salt Lake City. Authorities are filing murder and kidnapping charges in the death of Mackenzie Lueck. A builder claims Ajayi wanted him to build a soundproof wine cellar in his basement with hooks and a thumb print scanner.
Police officers stand outside Ajayi's house (right). Source: AAP

Mr Wolf, who took the request with his nephew, discussed it with him after meeting with Ajayi.

“When we got out to the truck … we both looked at each other and (I) was like, 'That was weird, right?' And he was like: 'Yeah, that was hella weird. We’re not doing this job, right?’” Mr Wolf said.

Mr Wolf said he told his nephew: “Hell no.”

He turned down the job and told Ajayi his property was too far away.

It’s not known when Ajayi faces court but he’s been charged with aggravated murder, kidnapping, obstruction of justice and desecration of a body.

With The Associated Press

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