In the pre-dawn hours of January 24, 2017, a domestic disturbance in a West Valley City home escalated into a tragedy that would claim the life of 46-year-old Caucasian male, Gregory Vandemerwe. The violence began inside a residence at 3995 S. 1500 West, where Gregory's son, 23-year-old Michael Vandemerwe, initiated a violent attack on his own grandparents.
The incident started when Michael entered his 68-year-old grandfather's bedroom and began stabbing him.
Gregory Vandemerwe intervened, attempting to stop the assault on his father. As the chaos unfolded, Gregory's 67-year-old mother managed to call 911, reporting that her grandson was attacking her husband. During the frantic call, the dispatcher heard the woman plead, "Michael, please don't," immediately followed by the sound of a gunshot. The line remained open, capturing the horrifying moments that followed. Gregory was heard yelling, "You shot my mom!," then begging his son, "Michael please, please, please," before a second gunshot rang out.
When officers from the West Valley Police Department arrived at the scene, Michael Vandemerwe exited the house and surrendered to them without incident. Inside the home, police discovered a grim scene. Gregory Vandemerwe was found deceased, having suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head. His mother was also found with a gunshot wound to her head; she was transported to a local hospital in critical condition and ultimately succumbed to her injuries two weeks later. The grandfather was found in a bathroom, having sustained multiple stab wounds, but he survived the attack.
Michael Vandemerwe was arrested and taken into custody. According to charging documents, he confessed to the crimes, telling officers, "I'm not a suspect. I did it. There's no question about it." He was subsequently charged with aggravated murder and two counts of attempted aggravated murder. The investigation suggested his intent was to end the lives of all three family members.
