At 26-years old, Elizabeth Laguna Salgado had many hopes for the future when she moved from Chiapas, Mexico to Provo, Utah. She wanted to learn to speak English, become “a better person,” and eventually get married to a good man, according to her uncle, Rosemberg Salgado. Unfortunately, those dreams were never realized. On April 16, 2015, after being in Utah for only 20 days, Elizabeth Salgado disappeared while walking from the Nomen Global Language Center in Provo to her apartment just over a mile away.
Flyers about Elizabeth’s disappearance were posted in many of the businesses that I frequent, and a large billboard featuring her image and information was visible from the freeway that goes through Provo. I was very interested in her case because her disappearance was not too far from where I live, just the next city over. I couldn’t imagine the torment her parents must have felt, not knowing where their daughter is, and feeling helpless, being that they lived so far away in Mexico. I watched for any breaks in her case, hoping for the best outcome, that she would be found safe and sound. Three years later, however, the worst case scenario was discovered.
On May 18, 2018, Elizabeth’s remains were discovered in a forested area of Hobble Creek Canyon in Springville, UT. They were found by an individual, who is not a suspect in the case, when he pulled off the road to relieve himself. According to Jason Jensen, a private investigator who was hired by the Salgado family, she was laid in a shallow grave, “in a sleep-like position.” Jensen said it is similar to Sleeping Beauty, and he believes the person responsible for killing Elizabeth might have had feelings for her. In an ABC4 News article published on February 17, 2020, Jensen said “If they [the murderer] had feelings for the deceased or can’t have their last impression of that person in a state of disarray, they will lay them out and treat them with either respect or show compassion.” Though her remains and the area they were found in have been thoroughly examined, there has been no time or cause of death discovered.
So who killed Elizabeth Salgado? Police, her family, and Jensen all believe it was someone she was acquainted with. She disappeared from the middle of Provo at about 2:30 in the afternoon, and there were no witnesses to any kind of struggle in that area that day. Salgado didn’t have a car, so it is suspected that someone she knew offered her a ride. Based on those facts, Jensen has developed a profile of the suspect, he believes the individual:
- speaks Spanish and could be Caucasian or Hispanic
- is known to Elizabeth, was possibly infatuated with her
- is from her small social circle of friends from work, church, or the language center
Almost four years after the discovery of Elizabeth’s remains, there is still a dishearteningly small amount of information available about the case. Her final autopsy results didn’t provide any details about who may have killed her. Jensen did receive a tip in 2020 that might, according to Sgt. Spence Cannon from the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, “open up a whole new possibility of people that were involved.” Just one week before Elizabeth’s disappearance, according to the tip Jensen received, Elizabeth attended an activity that was held at the mouth of Hobble Creek Canyon, at the Kelly’s Grove pavilion. Her family and Jensen don’t believe this is a coincidence, that she was in the canyon a week before she was taken. I am a little more skeptical about this tip, because Jensen disclosed that it came from only a single source, and that the activity may not have even been in that location. At the time of the article that contained this information, April 17, 2020, Jensen was working to find other sources to corroborate the tip about Elizabeth being in the canyon. I am personally very familiar with different areas of Hobble Creek Canyon, the mouth of it is only a mile up the road from where I live. In the spring and summer there are numerous activities, anything from birthday parties to church activities, and even weddings, held at various locations in the canyon. My family and I have attended many activities and camped multiple times up there. So it is not unusual, in my opinion, that Elizabeth attended an activity in Hobble Creek Canyon, even if it was a week before she disappeared.
Though the investigation is moving at a maddeningly slow pace, and there are not many leads in the case, it is still considered an active investigation. Carlos Trujillo, the Salgado family’s lawyer, worked with detectives to create a website that will contain a detailed timeline of Elizabeth’s 20 short days in Utah. Right now, there is still very little information on the timeline, they are asking for help from anyone who knew her to fill in the missing information. Elizabeth’s family prays that justice will be served. They hope that the monster who callously cut short the life of their beautiful daughter and niece will be found and held accountable for this vicious crime.
Do you have any information about Elizabeth Salgado’s case? Contact the Provo Police Department at (801) 852–6210, attorney Carlos Trujillo at (801)–590–9139, or call the WE HELP THE MISSING -TIP LINE at(866) 660–4025.
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