Tooele County DA Prepares To File Charges Against Teen In Quadruple Homicide
Jan 21, 2020, 11:15 PM | Updated: Jan 22, 2020, 5:35 am
GRANTSVILLE, Utah – The Tooele County District Attorney’s Office was preparing to file charges, Tuesday, against the teenager accused of shooting and killing four family members in Grantsville.
“At this time, we don’t really know what his motive was,” said District Attorney Scott Broadhead. “At this point, he is not cooperating and talking to the police, which is his right.”
From the time neighbors heard the gunshots Friday night, to the time police put up the crime scene tape, everything seemed out of place on Eastmoor Drive.
“I know many neighbors that live right on the same street (who) know this family and know them well. They’re all shocked,” Broadhead said. “I don’t know of anyone that says, ‘I could see this coming.’ (It’s) just a shock.”
Tonight, we spoke to #Tooele County DA Scott Broadhead about the Grantsville shooting that left a mother and 3 kids dead. He’s meeting with @GrantsvillePD tomorrow and the. Expects to formally file charges against the 16 yr old suspect after that meeting. @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/OmjWo2vNeS
— Matt Rascon (@MattRasconNews) January 22, 2020
Broadhead has been practicing as an attorney in the area for 25 years and said he hasn’t seen anything like this case.
“I don’t think anything like this has happened in the community, at least, as far as I know,” he said. “We’ve never had a multiple murder case, let alone a multiple murder case that involved a family like this. This is unprecedented.”
Officials with the Grantsville Police Department said the 16-year-old suspect shot and killed his mother, 52-year-old Consuelo Alejandra Haynie, and his three younger siblings: 15-year-old Alexis, 14-year-old Mathew, and 12-year-old Maylan.
The family’s father was also shot, but survived.
The suspect, who has not been identified, attended a detention hearing Tuesday with a court-appointed attorney. He was booked on charges including four counts of aggravated murder and one count of attempted murder.
At 16 years old, Broadhead said state statute requires he be charged as an adult. Because he is a minor, capital punishment is not an option.
“We don’t really know what he was thinking, what his thoughts were, what his motivations were, what his mental state is now or was at the time,” Broadhead said.
Grantsville police planned to brief the district attorney’s office on their investigation on Wednesday, at which time Broadhead said he anticipates they will be prepared to formally file charges.
