I have ridden horses on the part of the Pony Express Trail that this husband claims he took his two very young kids for camping in the middle of the might.
From where he lives, he would have had to traverse Lookout Pass, go past Simpson Springs Pony Station remains campground, just south of Dugway Proving Grounds, continue up and over Dugway Pass to get to Fish Springs Wildlife Preserve Area, just east of Callao, Utah.
The road is barely defined in the middle of summer, and while I have been over it 4 or 5 times since 1987, on a horse or crewing for another rider, I would never tackle it in winter, when a layer of snow- WHICH WAS PRESENT ON THAT WEKEND- would have obscured the roadway even more so. It is about 50 miles from Fairfield to Simpson Springs, and about 40 more to Fish Springs.
Quite a distance on a gravel road covered with snow, and not well delineated, in the middle of the night, with 2 young kids which you are “taking camping”.
I think he went out into that area ahead of time, and dug a hole for her body- when she was still alive. Then he drugged the kids- even a dose of bourbon would do the trick- and killed his wife and took her out and buried her and covered her up.
It is very remote, and if he left the body on the top of the ground, the buzzards would lead authorities to her remains. They are very easy to spot when they are circling.
This guy is guilty as hell, IMO, and I have pictures from the last time I rode across that road- July of 2001. It is beautiful, open land, with a rich history of the Pony Express and the Overland Stage Company.
From your vivid description of the place - I would bet he probably didn’t go to that area at all - he may have been there in the past and since his excuse to the children was “we are going camping” he substituted the area from previous trips.
I suspect on the night she “disappeared” he drove far & fast, in a panic, to a more accessible & less “wild” area and that is probably the same route he traveled in the rental car...to check on his work.
Liars always put a “bit of the truth” in their concocted alibis. I hope LE is as observant as you - especially the vulture activity.
It is wild and rugged land, but you are incorrect about the access. I’ve gone to Simpson Springs many times. The fastest and most direct access im Winter is to go West on 1-80 turn South at Rowley Junction, go past Iosepa and Dugway in the Skull Valley of Western Utah. No mountain passes at all.
Still, no one in their right mind would take small boys camping on such a frigid sub-zero night into such a remote area on a late Sunday night. I winter camp, and have done so even with small children - it takes a lot of planning!