A Utah man who killed his wife and in-laws in a botched murder-suicide has been sentenced to life in prison – defying his wish to be executed by firing squad.
Jeremy Lake Bailey, 34, shot and killed his wife, Anastasia Stevens, 36, on May 19 at their home in Layton, 20 miles north of Salt Lake City.
He then pointed his gun at her father Donald Stevens, 73, and Donald's wife Becky Stevens, 61 – Anastasia's stepmother.
Bailey also shot and killed three of the family's dogs.
Minutes after her murder, he logged onto Anastasia's Facebook profile and posted a message reporting his crime. He called it a “massacre-suicide” and claimed he “just killed everyone” and killed “three of the dogs.”
He then called 911 and said he had killed her and that it was a murder-suicide.
Jeremy Bailey, 34, is seen in court on Tuesday for his triple murder conviction
Bailey murdered his wife Anastasia Stevens, 36, on May 19 at their home in Layton, Utah
Bailey also killed his wife's father, Donald Stevens, and his wife's stepmother, Becky Stevens, who were visiting from Nevada
But when police arrived at the Layton home, Bailey turned himself in.
Bailey told them that he had an argument with his wife before killing her and her parents and asked if he could be executed by firing squad.
The last execution in Utah was in 2010, when Ronnie Lee Gardner was killed by firing squad for the 1984 murder of attorney Michael Burdell during Gardner's failed attempt to escape from a Salt Lake City courthouse.
Bailey's wish was not granted and on Tuesday a judge in Salt Lake City sentenced him to three consecutive life sentences.
“Her life was spared,” Judge Michael DiReda said. “You have been given grace that you did not want to give your wife and her parents. Here you are the beneficiary of this grace.”
Judge Michael DiReda sentenced Bailey to three consecutive life sentences on Tuesday
Jeremy Bailey and his wife Anastasia Stevens. He killed her and told police he wanted to commit a murder-suicide, but then stopped short of taking his own life
The couple, who lived in Layton, Utah, had been arguing before he opened fire
Relatives of the three victims expressed emotion about their loss.
Wes Chisnall, half-brother of Anastasia Stevens and son of Becky Stevens, acknowledged her kindness.
“I will never forget the childhood I had thanks to Becky and Anna,” he said, according to NBC News.
Chisnall's wife added: “His cowardice cost the lives of a mother, a father and a sister.” In the blink of an eye he left my husband without his family.
“He stole the innocence of my children’s youth; “His actions created a ripple in her life that will be felt forever.”
Donald Stevens' sister, Tami Seipert, said in court: “We are all suffering because of something we have nothing to do with.”
Bailey's lawyer Jonathan Nish said the sentence was fair.
“This was a serious case that could have been much worse than it is now,” he said.