A rancher in Washington County found U student Zach Ruble’s car engulfed in flames Thursday.
The rancher ran home and called for help, but by the time Washington County Sheriff deputies found Ruble’s car on a lone dirt road near Zion National Park, the fire had already burned itself out. Deputies found a body inside the smoldering Kia Sorento.
Remi Barron, a spokesman for the U, said the car belongs to Ruble’s family, who is waiting to find out if the body is Zach Ruble’s.
The body was too badly burned to identify8212;deputies couldn’t even determine a gender8212;and was sent to the state medical examiner in Salt Lake City for an autopsy and identification, said Washington County Detective Nate Abbott. The examiner requested Ruble’s dental records from the family on Monday, but has not yet confirmed whether or not the body belongs to Ruble, who has not been seen or heard from since April 1.
Ruble’s friend Todd Zolka, a freshman in business who lives in Sage Point Building 812, the same residence hall as Ruble, said Ruble, a freshman in bioengineering, loves to go on trips to the outdoors. However, for Ruble to drive all the way down to Zion National Park in the middle of the school week is out of the ordinary, he said.
“His roommate said it’s really strange,” Zolka said. When Ruble was gone Wednesday night, his roommate figured he went to get some dinner, Zolka said.
Ruble came to the U in the fall, leaving his hometown of Maysville, Ky., where his family lives. James Ruble, the student’s father, declined to comment until the examiner confirms the identity of the body.
Deputies have not been able to rule the incident as a homicide, suicide or accidental death, just as in two similar incidents last month.
On March 9, Salt Lake County Sheriff deputies found a burning car at a Big Cottonwood Canyon campground. They found 28-year-old Lorin Fischer’s body inside. Like Thursday’s incident, the car was found at a remote location in the early morning hours.
On March 20, deputies responded to a call about a car engulfed in flames near Saltair, this time late at night. Firefighters pulled 35-year-old Gregory Nelson’s body out of the vehicle. They found two propane tanks and a can of paint thinner in the backseat, which accelerated the fire’s destruction. Deputies can’t confirm if Nelson left them in the car in a suicide attempt, or if someone placed them there to quickly destroy evidence of a homicide.
Lt. Don Hutson of the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office said he doubts that either case will ever be classified one way or another.
Capt. Lynn Mitchell of the U Police Department said their agency knows nothing more than Washington County has made public.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Department declined to comment until the state medical examiner identifies the body and alerts the family.