Utah man charged with murder of his wife, in-laws and family dogs
The man confessed to the murders when called 911, police said.
(Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) Officers are investigating a home in Layton where police say a man killed his wife and in-laws and three family dogs on Friday, May 19, 2023 before being taken into custody .
According to court documents, a 34-year-old man from Layton was charged Thursday with the murder of his wife, in-laws and three family dogs.
Jeremy Bailey called 911 at approximately 9:45 am on May 19 to tell dispatchers that he had killed his wife, Anastasia Stevens, 36, about 20 minutes earlier; Anastasia’s stepmother Becky Stevens, 61; and Anastasia’s father, Donald Stevens, 73, according to a probable cause statement.
Prosecutors believe Bailey did in fact kill his wife and in-laws early that morning and that after shooting them, he left the house to buy a box of 9mm hollow-point ammunition, the indictment documents say.
According to court documents, CCTV discovered by police showed Bailey purchasing the ammunition just after 9 a.m. He then returned home, posted about the murders on Stevens’ Facebook profile, and then called 911, prosecutors said.
Bailey told dispatchers a few days before the killings that he had considered doing so, which is why he turned his guns over to a friend on May 17. However, Bailey also told dispatchers that he forgot a gun that belonged to one of the victims — and according to court documents, it was the gun he was armed with.
Autopsies revealed that Stevens and her stepmother were shot twice, and Stevens’ father was shot once, the indictment documents say. Friends described Stevens as “selfless” and said her dogs are “her life.”
While sitting in a Davis County cell, Bailey said, “I can’t believe I did it,” and also asked police if they thought the killings “would make the news,” court documents said .
According to court documents, Bailey was charged with three counts of first count murder compounded by domestic violence, which constitutes a felony. He was also charged with two counts of firing a gun causing serious bodily harm and three counts of torturing a pet.
Bailey was booked into the Davis County Jail hours after calling police about the murders. According to court documents, he is being held without bail.
Stevens’ family launched a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for the funeral expenses, raising more than $4,800 as of Thursday afternoon.
Editor’s note • Individuals who have been victims of intimate partner violence or know someone who has been affected are urged to call the Utah Domestic Violence Link Line (1-800-897-LINK (5465)) or the 24-hour hotline Sexual Violence in Utah (801-736)-4356 (English) or 801-924-0860 (Spanish).
