A Utah man killed his wife, their five children, and his mother-in-law before turning the gun on himself in their home on Wednesday, just two weeks after his wife filed for divorce, police say.
Evidence found during the investigation suggests the suspect, 42-year-old Michael Haight, took his own life after killing seven others in the home. The victims are Haight’s wife, Tausha Haight, 40, Tausha’s mother, Gail Earl, 78, and the five children, ranging in age from 4 to 17. Police were called to the house in Enoch City, Utah, by relatives and friends who had not heard from the family.
FIVE CHILDREN AMONG EIGHT PEOPLE FOUND SHOT TO DEATH IN UTAH HOME
On Dec. 21, Tausha Haight filed for divorce from her husband Michael Haight.
On Dec. 27 he was served with divorce papers.
Yesterday, police in Utah found Tausha, her mother, and her five children all shot dead by their father, who then killed himself.https://t.co/QA1bIAu9bh pic.twitter.com/UNDG8X7rE8
— David Gilbert (@daithaigilbert) January 5, 2023
Tausha Haight filed for divorce from her husband on Dec. 21, and he was served with the divorce papers less than a week later, according to Vice News. Officers investigated the 42-year-old man and his family a “couple of years prior,” police revealed during a Thursday press conference, possibly pointing to earlier problems inside the household.
The tragedy has shocked the city of about 8,000 people, Enoch City Manager Rob Dotson said. Neighbors told local news outlet KSL the family members were active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and that the husband was an insurance agent.
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The White House delivered a statement surrounding the deaths, saying, in part, “The President and First Lady are mourning with the Enoch City, Utah community in the wake of a tragic shooting that has reportedly claimed the lives of five children and multiple adults in their family home.”
The investigation is ongoing.
