In a quiet Layton, Utah neighborhood on May 19, 2023, a tragedy unfolded that would claim the lives of three family members. Anastasia Stevens, a 36-year-old Caucasian female, was killed in her home alongside her father, Donald Stevens, 73, and her stepmother, Becky Stevens, 61. The couple had been visiting from their home in Nevada. The events of that morning were set in motion by Anastasia's husband, 34-year-old Jeremy Bailey, who, after a domestic violence incident with his wife, proceeded to shoot her, her parents, and three of the family's four dogs.
The initial horror of the act was followed by a chilling confession. At approximately 9:45 a.m., Bailey himself contacted the Layton City Police Department and informed the dispatcher that he had just killed his wife and her parents. He remained on the phone with dispatchers and was instructed to exit the residence, where he was taken into custody by responding officers without incident. Inside the home at 1832 E. Gentile St., police discovered the bodies of Anastasia, Becky, and Donald Stevens.
The investigation that followed revealed a premeditated element to the horrific events. Bailey had reportedly given firearms to a friend for safekeeping just two days prior, expressing concerns about his own thoughts. However, he had overlooked a 9mm firearm belonging to one of the victims, which he then used in the killings. After the shootings, and before contacting the police, Bailey drove to a Sportsman's Warehouse to purchase more ammunition and even made a post on his wife's social media account announcing the "MASSACRE SUICIDE."
Jeremy Bailey was charged with three counts of aggravated murder. In the months that followed, he entered into a plea agreement to avoid the death penalty. In October 2023, he pleaded guilty to the charges. On December 12, 2023, a judge sentenced him to three consecutive life sentences in prison without the possibility of parole, a measure of mercy that, the judge noted, Bailey had not extended to his victims. While Bailey chose not to speak at his sentencing, prosecutors contested any claims of remorse, stating that jail phone calls revealed he continued to blame the victims for his actions.
