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MIDVALE — Police are seeking help from the public in collecting potential information and evidence in connection with the brutal killing of a massage parlor employee in Midvale.
Yuping Jiao, 45, was found deceased at A+ Massage, 7444 S. State, on Jan. 4. Unified police say she was the victim of a "brutal and tragic homicide." As of Thursday, no arrests had been made.
Police say Jiao was stabbed multiple times sometime between 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 4.
"The circumstances surrounding this heinous crime are deeply concerning. The victim was working alone at the time, and the motive for the homicide remains unknown," police said in a prepared statement Thursday.
Although information on a possible suspect has not been released, police on Thursday also urged "individuals working in similar occupations to exercise extreme caution when dealing with clients and report any suspicious interactions."
Jiao, a Chinese immigrant, had been a licensed massage therapist in Utah since 2021, according to the Utah Division of Professional Licensing.
Detectives say they have several people of interest who are being investigated. Police are asking that anyone who was in the area of the massage parlor between 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 4 "and witnessed anything noteworthy or concerning" to contact them at 801-840-4000.
