Murder Mysteries: Herbert Strehl
Businessman Found Dead Near I-80

Detectives are asking for your help in solving the mysterious murder of a Salt Lake City businessman.

Herbert Strehl was found dead off I-80 in Parley's Canyon in December of last year.

Crime Specialist Karen Scullin continues her "Murder Mystery" series on unsolved homicide cases.

Herbert Strehl was a well-connected businessman, a World War II native to Germany.

Detectives say Strehl was the kind of man who preferred to keep a lot of his business matters private, making the effort to track down who he was scheduled to meet the day he died very difficult.

It was a cold, violent murder. The 75-year-old Strehl was shot multiple times. His hands were still tied behind his back when his body was found off I-80 eight months ago.

Two days after the murder, Strehl's Jeep Grand Cherokee was found at the Little America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City. Detectives say Strehl often dined at the Little America restaurants.

Herbert Strehl Case Det. Keith Stephens: 801-743-5848 UTAP Web Site www.utap.org Other Murder Mysteries Featured on KSL TV Debbie Jones Case Amy Quinton Case

Detective Keith Stephens/Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office: "IT APPEARS THAT HE DROVE THERE TO MEET SOMEONE. AND QUITE POSSIBLY WHO ENDED UP BEING INVOLVED IN HIS DEATH."

Strehl owned a tool design business, and detectives say his business practices were sometimes mysterious, baffling, making getting to the root of what Strehl was involved in very tedious.

Detective Keith Stephens: THERE WERE FREQUENTLY TIMES WHERE HE WOULD TELL, EVEN FAMILY MEMBERS, THAT HE WOULD BE DOING SOMETHING OVER HERE WHEN HE WAS ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING OVER HERE.

Several people have wanted to tie Strehl's style of business to his death, but Detective Stephens says there are a lot of rumors and half truths floating around, and that at this point anything is possible.

Detective Stephens: THERE'S ALWAYS PEOPLE, COMPETITORS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AREN'T HAPPY WITH HOW ANOTHER BUSINESSMAN OPERATES AND THEY THINK HE'S MAYBE CUTTING THEIR THROA, THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS TO ANY POINT WHERE ANYONE WOULD KILL HIM OVER THAT.

Detective Stephens believes that this case will be solved. He says the leads are still coming in, but it is taking time.