A Utah family continues to search for answers to the fatal hit and run of a Provo student
Provo, Utah — A Utah family is still searching for answers nearly ten months after a hit-and-run that claimed the life of a young Utah Valley University student.
Isabel Barr was just 21 years old when she was struck and killed on December 1, 2022, while jogging near 820 North and 800 West in Provo. Her body was found abandoned on the road.
“I can’t wrap my head around the fact that someone would decide to leave,” said Lizzie Bettinson, Isabel’s cousin.
Police are asking for information about two vehicles in a Provo hit-and-run
Since Barr’s death, Bettinson says there have been months of heartbreak and confusion with very few leads.
The most promising evidence was security photos of two vehicles that were in the area at the time of her killing.
The photos were released days after Isabel’s death by the Provo Police Department. One photo identifies a blue SUV, and the other shows a dark-colored four-door pickup truck.
I think the hardest part for everyone is not knowing; “We don’t know a lot, and the police don’t have a lot of things either,” Bettinson said. “And it seems like no one knows how to move forward and go from there with the lack of information.”
Bettinson shared new photos of Isabelle with KSL-TV on Tuesday, hoping to inspire anyone with information about what happened the night of Parr’s murder to contact police. She also shared a message for the unknown driver.
“We’re just asking for any kind of small closure,” Bettinson said. “And I hope they find something in their hearts to come forward and say something.”
While many questions remain unanswered, Bettison says she is trying to remember the wonderful life her cousin lived. She tries to focus on her friendship and the light she brought to the world.
“Her favorite flower is sunflowers, and that’s honestly the best way to describe her. She was so yellow and happy and always facing the sun,” she said.
Isabel Barr at the U of U game. (Courtesy: Lizzie Bettinson)
Barr was a student at UVU when she was killed and had recently returned from an important service for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Bettison hopes people will remember her for her kindness, service and love for others.
“She was the sweetest person you’d ever meet, and she always just wanted to make people happy and smile, and she was always making people laugh. That was the greatest thing about her,” she said.
A reward of up to $20,000 has been offered for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the person who failed to stop and assist Barr. Anyone with information is asked to contact Provo Police.
