On the morning of May 19, 2023, a distressing call was made to the Layton Police Department by a man who confessed to killing three people. When officers arrived at the home on Gentile Street, they took 34-year-old Jeremy Bailey into custody. Inside the residence, authorities discovered the bodies of Bailey's wife, 36-year-old Anastasia Stevens, her father, 73-year-old Donald Stevens, and her stepmother, 61-year-old Becky Stevens. Becky, a White female, and her husband Donald were visiting from Nevada. The family's three dogs were also found deceased.
Investigations revealed that the victims had sustained gunshot wounds. Bailey had reportedly been on the phone with dispatchers when the police arrived and was cooperative during his arrest. While in a holding cell, he was heard saying, "I can't believe I did it." Leading up to the killings, Bailey had given some of his firearms to a friend, expressing concerns about his own mental state, but had overlooked one of the victim's handguns. A post was made on one of the victim's social media pages around the time of the police call, indicating a "MASSACRE SUICIDE" and naming Jeremy Bailey as the perpetrator.
In October 2023, Jeremy Bailey pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated murder as part of a plea deal. In his statement, he provided a chillingly straightforward account of the shootings, admitting to shooting his wife twice and then immediately turning the gun on Rebecca and Donald Stevens. By pleading guilty, Bailey avoided the possibility of the death penalty and is expected to face life in prison without the possibility of parole. His sentencing was scheduled for December 2023.
