Bio

Daniel Ray Troyer was born in 1960. Not much is known about his early life, but it is noted that he had a troubled upbringing. He had run-ins with the law at a young age. By the time he was a teenager, he had already begun to display signs of aggressive behavior.

In 1978, at the age of 18, Troyer committed a serious crime. He attacked an elderly woman in her home. This incident involved beating, choking, and attempting to sexually assault a 71-year-old quadriplegic woman. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to prison. After serving time, he was paroled.

Following his release, Troyer struggled to maintain a stable life. He was often in and out of trouble, which indicated a pattern of criminal behavior. In 1985, he was arrested for burglary and sentenced to prison again. Shortly after being paroled from this sentence, he became linked to the murders of two elderly women.

Murder Story

Daniel Ray Troyer is linked to several murders of elderly women in Utah. He is known to have killed two women: Drucilla Ovard, who was 83, and Ethel Luckau, who was 88. Ovard was murdered on July 17, 1985, in her home. She was beaten and strangled. The killer left behind semen on a yellow towel. This evidence was later matched to Troyer. Shortly after the murder, he was arrested for breaking and entering another elderly woman's home nearby.

Luckau was murdered on August 17, 1988, while Troyer was living in a halfway house. She was found dead in her bed, also strangled and suffocated. Evidence again indicated a connection to Troyer, including DNA found at the crime scene. Troyer was charged with both murders but faced challenges in securing convictions due to legal issues surrounding evidence.

Authorities believe Troyer may be responsible for up to 13 murders of elderly women in total. He often targeted women living alone and employed similar methods, making it difficult to detect the crimes as many of the deaths were initially classified as natural. He was sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison after pleading guilty to the murders of Ovard and Luckau.

During his time in prison, Troyer allegedly confessed to additional murders, further suggesting he might be one of Utah's most prolific serial killers. Investigators continue to pursue leads on other potential victims linked to Troyer.