On December 7, 2023, at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT, Dateline NBC will take a deep dive into the unsettling murder case titled “Open Desert.”
This episode digs into the tragic events of March 11, 2020, when Britney’s lifeless remains were discovered in the Nevada desert, her throat savagely cut, unravelling the case’s disturbing elements.
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Gabrielle Ujlaky & Bryce Dickey: The Full Story
The brutally brief life of 16-year-old Gabrielle “Britney” Ujlaky in 2020 left shockwaves around Elko County, Nevada.
16-year-old Gabrielle “Britney” Ujlaky was a resident of Spring Creek, Nevada. Her early life was mostly shaped by her passion for rodeo, which made her well-known in her neighbourhood.
Although Britney and Dickey were friends, there was more going on than just friendship. It was said that Dickey had admitted his emotions for Britney, only to be turned down.
On March 8, 2020, Ujlaky and Dickey were last seen at Angel Park in Elko, and they were never seen alive again. Dickey, who was viewed by Ujlaky as a “big brother” figure, provided the police with contradictory explanations after she vanished. He eventually admitted that his original claim that he had saw her get into a green Ford F-150 pickup truck with an unknown male was untrue.
After being raped and fatally stabbed, Ujlaky’s body was found three days later, wrapped in a blue tarp. Dickey became the focus of the investigation when evidence from the site refuted his claims. Dickey’s blood-stained boots and a used condom containing his DNA that was discovered close to Ujlaky’s body were among the evidence. Dickey acknowledged that he had sex with Ujlaky the day she vanished, but he insisted that it was consensual.
The prosecution refuted the defense’s claim that there was no direct witness to the murder, pointing out that these kinds of crimes are usually not carried out in broad daylight. An important testimony was provided by Dickey’s ex-girlfriend, who described beatings and strangulations that occurred throughout their relationship.
The prosecution refuted the defense’s claim that there was no direct witness to the murder, pointing out that these kinds of crimes are usually not carried out in broad daylight. An important testimony was provided by Dickey’s ex-girlfriend, who described beatings and strangulations that occurred throughout their relationship.
Dickey was found guilty in the end because the jury found in favour of the prosecution. Following a torturous nine-day trial that resulted in his conviction, the community and Britney’s family were left with a range of complicated emotions. He could now spend the rest of his life behind bars without the chance of release.