On a tragic December evening in 2009, the life of 31-year-old Melissa Ann Matern was cut short in what would become a devastating murder-suicide. Residing in West Jordan, Utah, Melissa had recently separated from her husband and was starting a new chapter with her two young sons. This sense of a new beginning was shattered on December 17th, when she and her children were found deceased in her apartment.
Investigation into the deaths quickly revealed a grim and heartbreaking story.
Law enforcement determined that Melissa's estranged husband, 36-year-old Justin Zachariah Matern, was the perpetrator. He had fatally shot Melissa and their two sons, 6-year-old Gabriel and 4-year-old Raiden, before turning the gun on himself. The discovery was made after Justin sent text messages to friends and family, confessing to the murders of his wife and children and stating his intention to end his own life.
There had been no documented history of domestic violence between the couple, though it was reported that Justin had expressed suicidal thoughts following their marital problems. He had also left a letter at the tattoo parlor where he worked, outlining his plans. Melissa had recently moved into the apartment with her sons just weeks before the incident. The case was concluded as a murder-suicide, with Justin Matern as the sole and deceased suspect, leaving a community to mourn the loss of a mother and her two young children.
