FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- The mother of a young woman found dead in a canyon northwest of Fort Collins said she does not want her daughter's killer to face the death penalty.

The body of Lacy Miller (pictured, right), 20, was found in Cache La Poudre Canyon on Sunday.

The University of Northern Colorado sophomore was reported missing Jan. 18 after her family found her car locked and parked two doors from their house, but no sign of her.

Jason Peder Clausen, 22, was charged Monday with two counts of first-degree murder and second-degree kidnapping in Miller's death. He was charged with second-degree kidnapping rather than first-degree kidnapping, because there was not a ransom note.

On Monday, Clausen's parents (pictured, left) rushed out of the Justice Center without saying a word. The 22-year-old suspect showed no emotion when the judge read the charges against him by way of closed-circuit television.

Authorities suspect he may have posed as a police officer to pull over Miller, who was driving to her Fort Collins home after dropping off a friend.

Clausen faces a felony murder charge because he is accused of killing Miller while committing another felony, kidnapping. That makes him eligible for the death penalty.

Larimer County District Attorney Stu VanMeveren hasn't said whether the death penalty will be pursued.

Miller's mother, Wendy Cohen, said Monday she hopes it won't be.

"I don't think two deaths make a right. You know, I never thought I would say that ... but I would not want that on my hands," Cohen said. "I don't think we need to play God anymore than this kid needed to play God."

Cohen said she chose not to appear at Clausen's hearing because she wanted to focus on the positive -- honoring the memory of her daughter -- instead of the negative.

She said that was even open to meeting his parents in the future.

"I don't think anyone raises their kid to hurt anybody. I'm sure they devastated too," she told 7NEWS.

Clausen was arrested last week. Because of a gag order in the case, police would not say what led them to the canyon or why they believed Miller was dead before her body was found.

Chris Rohrer told The Coloradoan Monday that a friend of his might have led police to Miller's body. He said the person called a police tip line to say that Clausen goes target shooting near where the body was found, about 30 miles northwest of Fort Collins.

Police declined to comment on Rohrer's statement.

Prosecutor VanMeveren said authorities don't believe anyone else was involved in the kidnapping and murder.

The county coroner confirmed Monday the body found in the canyon was Miller's and her death was a homicide, but didn't release any details.

Police said that they know how she was killed but cannot comment on the case.

Police seized a storage unit Clausen had rented in Severance, said Peggy Johnson, owner of Severance Self Storage. She said she did not know what was being stored and could not comment on the investigation.

A court hearing was scheduled Thursday on a request by the Coloradoan that the gag order in the case be lifted.

Clausen is a former security guard and Fort Collins Police Explorer Scout. Records confirm that he had law-enforcement training and tools, including at least four guns, handcuffs and a red-and-blue police light installed on the dashboard of his white Ford Expedition.

He also owned a bail bondsman's badge, according to records.

A public memorial service for Lacy Miller will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Resurrection Fellowship Church in Loveland. That is located near the Crossroads Boulevard exit on Interstate 25.

Friend of the family have set up a memorial fund in Miller's honor.

Donations can be sent to:
Lacy Miller Memorial Fund
c/o Vista Bank
8000 Nevada Ave.
Colorado Springs, 80903