Michael Haight: Man kills wife, 5 children, mother-in-law and himself after divorce battle turns ugly
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
ENOCH, UTAH: A Utah family man fatally shot his five children, mother-in-law, and his wife before pulling the trigger on himself. The incident reportedly occurred after the wife filed for divorce. Police had been called to the home by a neighbor to perform a welfare check. The community has been rocked by the tense situation because the victims were both well-known locals and followers of the faith.
Bodies of Michael, 42, and Tausha Haight, 40, and mother-in-law, Gail, 78, and their five children were discovered by the police on Wednesday, January 4, in the town of Enoch. The children were only identified as three daughters, aged 17, 12, and 7, and two sons, aged 7 and 4 years old. Their cause of death was revealed as death by gunshot wounds, reported Daily Mail.
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Police believe the murder-suicide occurred after Tausha filed for divorce, suggesting possible household problems. It was also revealed that Michael had been working as an insurance agent for Allstate until last week. A statement from Enoch City Manager Rob Dotson identified Michael Haight as the only suspect in the crime. Dotson said, "While this intense investigation is ongoing, investigators currently believe there are no suspects outstanding," reported the source. "Evidence suggests that the suspect took his own life after killing seven others in the home. The suspect is 42-year-old Michael Haight."
Furthermore, Tausha filed for divorce on December 21. Her lawyer James Park claimed that she expressed no fear that her husband would physically harm her. Michael was served with the papers on December 27. However, the reasons for their divorce were unknown because Utah law keeps details of divorce proceedings sealed from the public. Park said he only met with the woman twice and most recently on Tuesday, and added she "was an incredibly nice lady." A neighbor, Tina Brown stated, "Tausha was the most kind and generous person and she never ever said anything ill about anyone." "She would give the shirt off of her back for anyone and she served people tirelessly," Brown told Fox Salt Lake City.
Doston said, the slain family members have "served them in the church, in the community and had gone to school with these individuals." "This community at this time is hurting. They're feeling loss, they're feeling pain and they have a lot of questions," he continued. "We won't know the mindsets, the thoughts of the individuals who experienced this tragedy, but we all can pray that their families and the neighbors and all will come to an understanding of what happened in this place, probably in a day or two, or maybe longer," Doston added, noting an investigation is undergoing and more information will be available ultimately.