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Bodies found in abandoned Utah mine believed to be missing teens

Posted at 4:20 PM, Mar 29, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-29 16:20:07-04

EUREKA, Utah — Authorities believe they have found the bodies of two Utah teenagers who disappeared late last year, according to KSTU.

Officials with the Utah County Sheriff's Office, Juab County Sheriff's Office and Unified Fire Authority discovered the bodies Wednesday afternoon as they conducted a search at Tintic Standard #2, an abandoned mine east of Eureka.

Search crews found the bodies by lowering a camera into the mine. They found the bodies on a ledge about 100 feet into the 1,800-foot mine shaft.

Riley Powell and his girlfriend, Brelynne "Breezy" Otteson, were reported missing on Dec. 30, 2017, and last seen in the Eureka area heading west out of town.

The pair's Jeep was later found near Cherry Creek Reservoir.

The bodies will be transported to the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner for identification.

Police said foul play was "strongly suggested" in the teens' disappearance.

Officials have identified a person of interest, but have not released that person's name to the media.