Unsolved: Sad Story For Salgado Family Has Even Sadder Ending

Nearly eight years ago, Elizabeth Salgado went missing. She vanished after leaving her language school in Provo. Sadly, three years later the beautiful young woman's body was found in Hobble Creek Canyon.

She'd been murdered.

Elizabeth was an active member of her YSA ward in Provo and had dozens of friends. She had decided to walk home from her class that Apr. 16, 2015, but never made it.

One by one, suspects were investigated and then cleared: a friend, construction workers from a site on her way home, relatives including two uncles, work acquaintances. Every one of them seemed to have an alibi.

To this day, Elizabeth's killer has still not been identified.

Now, with the wounds of the murder starting to heal just a bit, a freshy blow has been struck to the Salgado family. Elizabeth's aunt, Miriam, was found deceased yesterday near a trail in Southern Utah.

Officials have sent Miriam's remains to the Utah Medical Examiner's office to be positively identified, but items near the body indicate that it is in fact Miriam.

How much more can a family take?

“We are going through a very painful situation that no one would want to go through as a family," Rosemberg Salgado told Fox 13's Jenna Bree. “We don't know why things happen like this. We don't have the answers to that.”

Rosemberg is still grieving the death of his niece Elizabeth.

“How is it possible that now two of my family members, they just find the remains?" he said.

Officials say they don't suspect foul play when it comes to the death of Miriam, whose body was found near the Sheep Bridge Trail east of Hurricane.

That means it was either a tragic accident or Salgado took her own life. Either way, it's an unspeakable tragedy -- -again -- for the Salgados.

“Obviously there is somebody that is out there killing people," said Rosemberg. "They killed my niece, and my sister, we don't know what happened to her, if there was another crime, and if it was the same person that did it to my niece. We don't know.”

Miriam's car was found abandoned near the Sheep Bridge trailhead back in 2021. Search and Rescue teams scoured the area, but could not find any trace of the 44-year-old woman.

Her remains were discovered Saturday afternoon by a hiker.

Now the family has to deal with two deaths. And perhaps more frustratingly, more mystery.

This story is far from over, but we already know it has a sad, sad ending.

The press release:

On 03/04/23 around 1:54pm, Washington County Deputies responded to human remains that were located in the area of Sheep Bridge Rd in unincorporated Washington County. Detectives and investigators with the Utah Medical Examiner’s Office responded to the scene to investigate. Based off of the personal belongings left at the scene, investigators believe that the remains belong to 46-year-old female, Miriam Salgado, who was reported missing in 2021. Miriam’s family have been notified and we have offered our condolences.

In September 2021, a deputy had located Miriam’s vehicle, which was left abandoned off of Sheep’s Bridge Road near SR 59. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Team searched the surrounding area, but were unable to locate Miriam or any signs that she was in the area at that time. As is standard procedure, the remains have been sent to the Utah Medical Examiners Office for an autopsy. The initial investigation did not reveal any suspicious circumstances, however, this case is still active and ongoing.

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