In the small town of Enoch, Utah, the life of a 12-year-old Caucasian girl named Briley Ann Haight was tragically cut short on January 4, 2023. That afternoon, police discovered a horrific scene at her family's home after a concerned friend requested a welfare check when Briley's mother, Tausha, missed an appointment. Inside the residence, officers found Briley, her mother, grandmother, and four siblings, all victims of a violent shooting.
The perpetrator was identified as Briley's
father, 42-year-old Michael Haight, who took his own life after killing his entire family. The victims included his wife, Tausha Haight, 40; her mother, Gail Earl, 78; and Briley's siblings: Macie, 17, seven-year-old twins Ammon and Sienna, and four-year-old Gavin. Each had sustained fatal gunshot wounds, and some of the children were discovered in their own beds. The investigation revealed that Michael Haight died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. No arrests were made as the sole suspect was deceased at the scene.
The tragedy unfolded just two weeks after Tausha Haight had filed for divorce from her husband. In the days leading up to the incident, there were signs of turmoil. Tausha's mother, Gail Earl, was reportedly staying with the family out of concern for their safety as Michael refused to leave the home. The night before the killings, one of the daughters had sent a text message to a friend, expressing that her dad was home, acting strangely, and that she was worried.
Further investigation into the family's history brought to light a 2020 police investigation into Michael Haight for allegations of domestic abuse. His eldest daughter, Macie, had reported to police that her father had become assaultive, had choked her, and that she was terrified he might kill her. Despite this, the county attorney's office determined there was "insufficient evidence to pursue criminal charges," and the case was closed. In a suicide note he left behind, Michael Haight blamed his wife for their family's troubles.
