A 16-year-old boy shot and killed his mother and three siblings during a five-hour killing spree at his family home in Grantsville, Utah, in January 2020.
CJ Haynie Family Murders: Details of the Shooting
Colin Jeffrey “CJ” Haynie carried out the mass shooting, also attempting to murder his father, according to Tooele County Attorney Scott Broadhead. Following his arrest at a local hospital, Haynie provided police with details of the events.
The killings marked the first such tragedy in two decades for the town of Grantsville, according to abc.
“The defendant stated that he had killed his mother first at about 1 p.m. He then stated that he killed the others as they returned home,” Broadhead revealed during a press conference.
Consuelo Alejandra Haynie, 52, and her 12-year-old daughter Maylan were shot dead immediately upon entering the property after Maylan was collected from school. Prosecutors stated that Haynie allegedly used a handgun to shoot them in the head, neck and upper body areas, reports the Mirror.
Haynie then waited in the house for an hour until his 15-year-old sister Alexis returned from school. Authorities said he shot her in the head and upper body between 2pm and 5:17pm.
When 14-year-old Matthew arrived home, Haynie killed his younger brother execution-style with a single shot to the head, the prosecutor stated.
His father was shot in the leg upon returning home around 6:15pm, before managing to wrestle with his son and seize the weapon from him, prosecutors said.
Haynie told investigators at the hospital that his son confessed to him that “his mother and other siblings were dead and that his intention was to kill everyone in the house except himself.”
A crowdfunding campaign set up to cover the father’s medical bills and funeral costs exceeded its £78,000 target.
Guilty Plea and Sentencing
In 2023, Haynie faced trial as an adult and entered guilty pleas to four counts of aggravated murder relating to his family members’ deaths, plus an additional count of attempted aggravated murder concerning his father.
Haynie was handed a 25-year sentence for each murder charge, to be served consecutively, whilst the attempted murder count will run concurrently.
Court documents reveal that Haynie’s motivation for the crimes arose from his growing social isolation, rows with his father and dashed expectations. He felt that shooting his family was his only way out.
During the family’s funeral service, Danny Haynie, a sibling who was away from home at the time of the killings, devoted much of his tribute to cherishing memories of his mother, younger sisters and brother, but also paused to express his enduring love for his brother.
“He is part of our family and we all love him,” Danny Haynie said. “We all want the best for him. Part of me feels like I lost him too but at least he’s still here.”
Haynie featured prominently in numerous family photographs displayed throughout a programme distributed to the hundreds of mourners who gathered for the funeral service, with a particularly large image gracing the cover.
Colin Haynie refrained from naming his son directly, but revealed he’s chosen to concentrate on cherished memories from happier times. He stated he finds solace in picturing his three youngsters discovering the afterlife under the care of their mother.
“Their spirit, their soul lives on,” he stated.
Four coffins occupied nearly the full width of the church’s front area, each adorned with elaborate flower arrangements. The coffin for Consuelo Alejandra Haynie, 52, was white, whilst the one for Matthew, 14, was blue. The coffins for sisters Alexis, 15, and Milan, 12, were white with hints of purple.
“Families are eternal and that’s what is going to keep us going,” Danny remarked. “I know we will be reunited again as a family.”
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