Friend of slain married couple stumbled across their bodies during search of Utah campsite while on the phone with dad of one of the victims
When speaking with ABC4 News Friday, Cindy Sue Hunter said she discovered the bodies of her friends, Kylen Schulte, 24, and Crystal Beck, 38, while speaking to Schulte's father on the phone
The friend of two women found shot dead in the Utah wilderness - after they reported a 'creeper dude' lurking nearby - told news outlets she was on the phone with one of the victim's fathers when she discovered their bodies.
Cindy Sue Hunter said she discovered the bodies of her friends, Kylen Schulte, 24, and Crystal Beck, 38, after receiving a frantic call from Schulte's father, Sean-Paul, she told ABC4 News Friday,.
Schulte's father, who lives in Montana, called Hunter after he hadn't heard from the couple in three days following a disturbing call from his daughter, he reportedly told Hunter.
'He said 'I just found out that there was a creeper dude that they were scared of. That they needed to move their camp,' Hunter said. 'All of a sudden I had such a sense of urgency.'
Schulte's and Beck were camping in the mountains of Moab, Utah, about a week ago when they reportedly vanished. Their bodies were discovered Wednesday night near the South Mesa area of La Sal Loop Road
Hunter was able to locate the couple's campsite in Moab on Wednesday, remaining on the phone with Kylen's father while she searched the area.
'Then I saw her body and I turned away,' Hunter said. 'I think something inside me didn't want to acknowledge what I had seen so I was looking at the beauty of the creek and everything and talking to the father the whole time and I turned around again to make myself see and it was her.'
On Wednesday, the Grand County Sheriff's Office in Moab released a statement saying: 'At this time the Grand County Sheriff's Office is conducting an ongoing homicide investigation.'
The Sheriff's Office continued by saying they believe 'there is no current danger to the public in the Grand County area.'
On Wednesday, the Grand County Sheriff's Office in Moab released a statement saying: 'At this time the Grand County Sheriff's Office is conducting an ongoing homicide investigation.'
Schulte and Beck were found shot dead four days after going missing while camping in Utah mountains
Hunter, on the other hand, doesn't find the sheriff's statement comforting.
'How are we safe if you have a double homicide?' Hunter asked. ' You don't have a suspect in custody. You're not claiming it was a murder-suicide so how are we possibly safe? It honestly feels like they're just trying to protect the tourism industry in Moab.'
Schulte's and Beck were camping in the Moab mountains about a week ago when they reportedly vanished.
Their bodies were discovered near the South Mesa area of La Sal Loop Road and police identified them as the missing women Thursday evening.
Their bodies were transferred to the state medical examiner's office.
Kylen Schulte and Crystal Beck, who married recently, were found dead in the Moab mountains of Utah after being reported missing four days earlier
The couple were reportedly 'spooked' by a man near their campsite and told close friends they were moving away from the 'weirdo'
Schulte's father Sean-Paul asked the people of Moab to help find his daughter's killers on Facebook as the police's person of interest has been released and no arrests have been made
The two reportedly were last seen on August 14 after telling close friends they moved campsites because they had been 'spooked' by a 'weirdo' man camping near them.
Schulte's father called for the Moab community to help find 'my girls' on August 17 in a Facebook post after not hearing from them.
He reported that the girls, 'Haven't been to work. Haven't called. Not in hospital. Not in Moab jail,' but police were searching for them.
Aunt Bridgit Calvert started a GoFuneMe page to help Sean-Paul pay for funeral expenses for the two girls
Their bodies were found near the South Mesa area of La Sal Loop Road after being missing for four days
The dad posted again a day later reporting the girls had been missing for four nights and days.
He said: 'Moab PLEASE PLEASE FIND MY GIRLS.'
In an updated post, he begs Moab not to give up on finding his daughter's killer and asked them to interview everyone who was on the mountain.
He wrote: 'Moab. This is Kylen and Crystals dad. Please please
'DO NOT STOP !!!!'
The sheriff's office released a statement saying they are looking into all avenues provided by those who come forward.
'We are currently following up with what comes to our attention during this investigation and will continue to be available to people to come forward with information,' the sheriff's office told local NBC-affiliated television station KSL-TV.
The father reported that a person of interest had been questioned and released by police, but his daughter's killer was still out there.
The family called Schulte the 'moon and the stars since the day she was born' on the GoFundMe page created to help Sean-Paul pay funeral expenses for the two women.
The couple - who was recently married - spent a lot of time camping.
Their aunt wrote on a GoFundMe page, 'They found their way from the best campsite to the next.'