SALT LAKE CITY — On Nov. 1, 2014, three friends left their homes to ride their ATVs near the "B" on Bountiful's mountainside.
The men haven't been seen since and are presumed to be dead.
Now, on the two-year anniversary of the trio going missing, family members of the men want to raise public awareness that the case is still unresolved. Their bodies have never been found. No one has ever been arrested and no charges have been filed — even though police suspect they know who killed them.
"Our boys are still missed and we want some more answers. We're still waiting for answers," said Judi Rinker, the mother of one of the men, Levi Collins.
Investigators don't believe that Collins, 34, Danny "Kiko" Gallegos, 35, and Braden Emerson, 23, ever made it to the "B" on that day.
Gallegos' aunt called police the next day, Nov. 2, to report the three men were missing.
On Nov. 3, an abandoned Chevy Tahoe, with a "large" amount of blood inside was found near the Jordan River surplus canal at 1740 W. 1500 South. DNA testing indicated the blood was from Collins and Emerson. Police believe both were murdered inside the Tahoe.
The families say they are extremely frustrated that the investigation has not resulted in any arrests or charges, despite seemingly overwhelming evidence against two Utah men. Salt Lake police say the case has been completed and handed over to the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office. Unless the district attorney's office asks detectives to gather additional evidence, police say their investigation is essentially done.
District Attorney Sim Gill reaffirmed Tuesday that the case is still very active and "not on the back burner." But as Gill has stated before, the case is a complicated one.
As family members prepared for a candlelight vigil Tuesday to mark the anniversary, they are anxious to find closure.
"There's no justice for them. There's absolutely no answers. There's not a day that goes by that we don't think about these three and wonder where they are at. Who did this? What happened? It's just frustrating we're at this point — two years — and we don't get any answers," said Rica Bahena, Gallegos' sister.
"We just need help. We're lost."
According to dozens of search warrants involving the case that have been served over the past year and a half, the investigation has focused on two potential suspects: a father who was sentenced to federal prison a year ago based on evidence collected during the homicide investigation, and his son who at one time faced a federal indictment stemming from alleged dealings with one of the three missing men.
Richard and Justin Christopher have never been charged or arrested in connection with the investigation. But sources close to the case have told the Deseret News the men have been considered persons of interest for some time. Justin Christopher was questioned by police about Gallegos' whereabouts just two days after he disappeared.
The Christophers were the owners of JC Custom Jewelry, 230 W. 200 South. Justin Christopher also helped Gallegos launder money, according to numerous affidavits.
Attorney Loni Deland has consistently maintained to the Deseret News that his client, Justin Christopher, "never killed anyone."
Gallegos was identified in the federal court documents as being a "drug dealer" who became a confidential informant for the FBI in July of 2014.
Friends and family members of Gallegos, Collins and Emerson acknowledge that the men had colorful pasts. But they don't want investigators, prosecutors or the public to think their case is any less important just because of their backgrounds.
"The point of the matter is, there's a murderer out there — murderer or murderers who have taken three lives, precious lives. Yeah, they were doing some things that were not very good. However, they're still humans and we're still mothers and we want to know where they're at. It's only right. Let God be the judge," said Frances Baca, Gallegos' mother.
"At the end of the day, they're human and they mean a lot to us," Bahena added.
As family members held poster-size pictures of their missing loved ones Tuesday, Collins' young daughter — who was born after he disappeared — walked about the vigil.
"We just want answers," said Aimee Cranfill, Collins' girlfriend and mother of his young daughter.
One sign held at the vigil read, "Justice: a concern for justice, peace and a genuine respect for people. 2 years no answers."
Baca and others pleaded Tuesday with anyone who knows something about the case to step forward.
"Because somebody knows something. And we need to find out what's going on," she said. "We want some closure. I do, I want closure."
Email: preavy@deseretnews.com
Twitter: DNewsCrimeTeam