WASHINGTON, Washington County — Authorities say they have finally identified a body that was found at the bottom of a southern Utah cliff three years ago, following a breakthrough from a laboratory that seeks to solve cold cases.
Police say Jaime Leek died of blunt force trauma "consistent with a fall." He was originally from Blair, Wisconsin, but had left in 2017 to relocate to Las Vegas, and had last been heard from sometime between 2021 and 2022, Washington Police Lt. Kory Klotz said Tuesday.
It closes the book on the mystery that began on Aug. 20, 2022, when Washington police responded to a report of human remains located at the bottom of a 250-foot cliff near 1400 W. Red Ledge Road.
It's unclear what led to the fall, but with no identification on the remains, the case ultimately went to the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification as investigators asked for the public's help in identifying the body.
The police department received state funding last year to use "advanced" DNA testing, but that failed to yield any results. However, Othram, a Texas-based laboratory that focuses on cold cases, identified a potential "parent/child DNA link" in Blair, Wisconsin, earlier this year, Klotz said.
Washington police worked in coordination with Blair police and various Utah agencies on follow-ups to confirm the body's identity.
"We offer our heartfelt condolences to the family of Jaime Leek during this difficult time," Klotz added.
