Ross Williams defended Mark Hacking, a man whom Williams said has been his best friend since the two attended pre-school together. Williams believes Hacking had indeed been accepted to medical school — he had chosen between George Washington University and UNC Chapel Hill — and the two had recently discussed the differing costs of living in North Carolina and Utah and other aspects of moving, Williams said late Wednesday.

"It's garbage. You don't go to that extent on a hoax," said Williams, who works for the state's office of Adult Probation and Parole. "Any talk of Mark not telling the truth, I don't believe. Someone's made a mistake."

Williams said he was with Hacking in Memory Grove Monday as searchers combed a reflecting pool as part of the search effort.

"He was absolutely devastated," Williams said.

Police probe

Wednesday's strange twist of events capped off a busy day for Salt Lake City investigators.

Earlier in the day, investigators searched the Hackings' apartment near 100 South and 900 East for the second time in two days.

On Tuesday, when investigators spent "a good portion of the day" in the Hacking's apartment, "some items" were taken as evidence, although Salt Lake City police detective Dwayne Baird declined to identify those items.

Neighbors said they saw police carrying items such as computers, boxes and mattress springs out of the house. Police also removed a Dumpster from behind the apartment complex, where the Hackings were reportedly the building managers, several neighbors said. Police would not confirm reports they were looking at a mattress found inside the bin, according to the Associated Press.

A green police truck stayed in the neighborhood until about 8 p.m. Tuesday, said Ruth Ann Smith, whose front porch gives her a bird's-eye view of the front of the Hackings' apartment building.

Police had also seized both Mark and Lori Hacking's cars. Baird said that as of Wednesday nothing was found in them that raised red flags, and Smith said she saw someone return Lori Hacking's car to the parking lot Wednesday.

Baird also said a lot of clothing was found in the shrubs of City Creek Canyon, but none initially appeared to have belonged to Lori Hacking. Still, he said detectives were going over all items "methodically." The majority of clothing was believed to belong to transients.

Baird confirmed that investigators were at the Salt Lake City landfill Tuesday afternoon. He did not say what they were looking for or if they found anything.

"It was a lead that we had and chose to follow," was all Baird would say.

Dinse also declined to talk about specifics.

Volunteer effort

As police continued their investigation, family members organized groups of volunteers Wednesday to pass out fliers and go door to door looking for Lori Hacking.