Joseph Anthony Bailey, a 70-year-old White male known affectionately as "Blue," overcame a difficult youth in foster homes to build a life as a respected maritime engineer. Born in San Francisco, California, he was a dedicated family man, a father to four children, and a grandfather to eight. He had a passion for classic cars, especially Chevrolets, and was deeply involved in the lives of his grandchildren, for whom he and his wife, Gail, had created a warm and loving home in Washington, Utah. His family remembered him as a provider of infinite love who was dedicated to being the father he never had.
The life Joseph and Gail had built together came to a violent end on the evening of June 18, 2024. The couple was fatally shot inside their residence on East Chinook Drive. Their son and his wife, who also lived in the home, heard the gunshots and fled to a neighbor's house to call for help. The tragedy left the couple's grandchildren, who lived with them, without their home and the grandparents who had been like second parents to them.
When Washington City Police officers arrived, they found the front door open and discovered Joseph and Gail deceased inside. They identified a suspect, leading to an hours-long manhunt that stretched through the night. The following morning, the suspect, 28-year-old Mia Bailey, the daughter of Joseph and Gail, surrendered to police. Mia had legally changed her name and gender the previous year.
Mia Bailey was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated murder, one count of attempted aggravated murder, and multiple other felonies. According to court documents, she told officers she went to the residence with the intent to kill her parents. She expressed no remorse for her actions, stating, "I would do it again. I hate them." The Washington County Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case but, with the support of the victims' family, decided not to seek the death penalty.
In November 2025, Mia Bailey pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated murder and one count of aggravated assault. The following month, a judge sentenced her to consecutive prison terms of 25 years to life for each murder, plus an additional sentence of up to five years for the aggravated assault. The case concluded with her sentencing in December 2025.
