Layton Police responded to the scene after a man allegedly killed his wife, his in-laws and the family dogs. (Layton Police Department via KTSU)
Jeremy Bailey, 34, faces three counts of aggravated murder and three counts of felony discharge of a firearm, all first-degree felonies. He was also charged with three counts of aggravated cruelty to animals.
Bailey was arrested on May 19 after he called police to report he had killed his wife, father-in-law and mother-in-law at a home in Layton. It was also discovered that he killed three of the family’s four dogs.
The victims were later identified as 36-year-old Anastasia Stevens, her father, 73-year-old Donald Stevens, and her stepmother, 61-year-old Becky Stevens.
Charging documents reveal that Bailey had taken his guns to a friend’s house to be stored days before because he was “thinking of doing this a few days ago,” but that he was armed with a gun that belonged to one of the victims.
Before they were killed, one of the victims also reached out to a therapist saying they discovered a “very real problem,” and signaled that it may be time for legal interference.
“It’s really bad,” documents state the victim said. “Like scary. I think it may be time for legal interference I know I definitely need to find an attorney and he’s still at the house so I can’t talk.”
During the investigation, police found a post that was made around the same time Bailey notified authorities saying he had “just killed everyone,” including the three victims and the three dogs.
While searching the home and vehicles on the property, police found a box of ammunition that was purchased just after 9 a.m. on the same day as the shooting. Officers responded to the scene of the shooting less than an hour later, at 9:45 a.m.
After he was arrested, police recorded that they heard Bailey say phrases such as, “I can’t believe I did it,” and that he’d “rather get the death penalty than life in prison.” He also requested that his surviving dog not be taken to the pound, documents state.
This story was originally published on May 25, 2023, by KSTU in Salt Lake City, an E.W. Scripps Company.
