In the summer of 2022, the life of 36-year-old Julie Ann Burns, a female resident of Heber City, Utah, was tragically cut short in a case of domestic violence that had been escalating for some time. Friends and family were left to mourn a woman who had previously expressed fears that her boyfriend, Michael Grant Asman, would one day kill her. This fear became a grim reality on July 14, 2022, when she was found deceased in her home from a gunshot wound to the head.
The discovery was made after a concerned co-worker went to check on her when she failed to show up for work, noticing what appeared to be blood on the kitchen floor upon opening the door.
The events leading to the discovery of Julie's body began with a welfare check requested by Asman's own sister the day before. She had reported that her brother was "acting weird" and had asked her to come and get the children. When police initially responded, they were unable to make contact with anyone at the residence. It was only after the co-worker's subsequent visit that officers entered the home and found the tragic scene. Investigators learned from one of Julie's children that Asman had been at the house with a handgun and had argued with their mother. The child also revealed that after the incident, Asman led the children out of the house, telling them to close their eyes as they passed their mother's body.
Immediately following the discovery, a manhunt was launched for Michael Grant Asman, who was quickly identified as the primary suspect and charged with murder. Authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The search for Asman came to an end the following month when he was found deceased in an Oregon forest from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Prior to the murder, Asman had been facing charges of aggravated assault and assault for a previous domestic violence incident involving Julie in June of that same year. Despite a protective order being in place, the cycle of violence culminated in the loss of a mother, leaving her two daughters without either of their parents.
