.png)
11 months ago
48
A Utah man who killed his wife and in-laws in a botched murder-suicide has been sentenced to life in prison - defying his wish for execution by firing squad.
Jeremy Lake Bailey, 34, shot and killed his wife Anastasia Stevens, 36, at their home in Layton, 20 miles north of Salt Lake City, on May 19.
He then turned his gun on her father Donald Stevens, 73, and Donald's wife Becky Stevens, 61 - Anastasia's stepmother.
Bailey also shot and killed three of the family's dogs.
Minutes after their murder, he logged onto Anastasia's Facebook profile and posted a message saying what he had done. He called it a 'massacre suicide,' claiming he 'just killed everyone' and killed 'three of the dogs.'
He then rang 911 to say he had killed them, and that there would be a murder-suicide.
Jeremy Bailey, 34, is seen in court on Tuesday for his sentencing on three counts of murder
Bailey murdered his wife Anastasia Stevens, 36, at their Layton, Utah home on May 19
Bailey also killed his wife's father Donald Stevens, and his wife's stepmother Becky Stevens, who were visiting from Nevada
But when police arrived at the Layton home, Bailey handed himself in.
Bailey told them he had an argument with his wife before killing her and her parents, and asked if he could be executed by firing squad.
The last execution in Utah was carried out in 2010, when Ronnie Lee Gardner was killed by firing squad for the 1984 murder of attorney Michael Burdell during Gardner's failed escape attempt from a Salt Lake City courthouse.
Bailey's wish was not granted, and on Tuesday a judge in Salt Lake City sentenced him to three consecutive life sentences.
'Your life has been spared,' said Judge Michael DiReda. 'You were extended mercy that you were unwilling to extend to your wife and her parents. Here you are the beneficiary of that very mercy.'
Judge Michael DiReda is seen on Tuesday sentencing Bailey to three consecutive life sentences
Jeremy Bailey and his wife, Anastasia Stevens. He killed her and told police he intended on carrying out a murder-suicide, but then backed out of killing himself
The couple, who lived in Layton, Utah, had argued before he opened fire
Relatives of the three victims made emotional statements about their loss.
Wes Chisnall, half brother to Anastasia Stevens and son of Becky Stevens, paid tribute to their kindness.
'I will never forget the childhood that I had because of Becky and Anna,' he said, according to NBC News.
Chisnall's wife added: 'His cowardice took the lives of a mother, a father and a sister. In the blink of an eye, he left my husband without his family.
'He stole the innocence of my children's youth; his actions have created a ripple in their life that will be forever felt.'
Donald Stevens' sister, Tami Seipert, told the court: 'We all are in pain for something that we had nothing to do with.'
Bailey's attorney, Jonathan Nish, said the sentencing was fair.
'This was a serious case that could have been a lot worse than it is now,' he said.
English (US)