Man, 22, Kills 3 Strangers Including 86-Year-Old: Told Cops “Had to Be Done”

A 22-year-old man is accused of going on a terrifying, supposedly random killing spree in remote Utah — and then telling police the murders “had to be done,” according to charging documents.

Ivan Miller allegedly killed three women: two hikers and an 86-year-old, investigators say. Authorities believe the victims were strangers, chosen for “convenience,” not because Miller knew them.

Court papers claim Miller told cops he needed money to get back to his home in Iowa — and that’s why he stole vehicles and credit cards after the attacks.

Investigators say the violence began after Miller struck an elk near a small Utah farming town close to Capitol Reef National Park. Charging documents allege he was forced to sell his truck to a towing company, then spent several nights in a motel.

Prosecutors say Miller later slept in a shed belonging to 86-year-old Margaret Oldroyd before sneaking into her home in Lyman. They allege he shot her from behind while she was watching TV — then took her Buick.

But investigators say he didn’t keep that car for long.

According to the documents, Miller allegedly abandoned the Buick at a trailhead about 10 miles from Oldroyd’s home after he spotted two women arriving to hike. Authorities say Linda Dewey, 65, and Natalie Graves, 34, got out of a Subaru — and Miller allegedly shot and stabbed them.

Police claim he tried to conceal their bodies in a dry creek bed before driving off in their vehicle.

The case blew open when the hikers’ husbands reportedly went looking after the women didn’t return home. They found the bodies at the trailhead on Wednesday, according to authorities.

After investigators ran the abandoned Buick’s license plate, they say they discovered Oldroyd’s body and connected the scenes.

Miller was arrested early Thursday in Colorado after a multi-state search, police said. Authorities say he was found with a handgun and a large knife.

Lt. Cameron Roden of the Utah Department of Public Safety said investigators have not found a motive and don’t believe the women were targeted for any reason beyond “convenience.”

Miller has been charged with aggravated murder and multiple other offenses as the investigation continues.