Inset left: Mia Bailey (Washington County Sheriff’s Office). Inset middle: Joseph Bailey (McArthur Funeral Home & Cremation Center). Inset right: Gail Bailey (McArthur Funeral Home & Cremation Center). Background: The home in Washington, Utah, where the shooting occurred (Google Maps/Law&Crime/YouTube).
A Utah woman has entered a plea in a shocking case that has gripped the nation. Mia Bailey, 29, faces charges for the gruesome killing of her parents and an attempted murder of her brother.
Bailey has pleaded guilty but mentally ill to two counts of aggravated murder and one count of aggravated assault, according to a statement from the Washington County Attorney’s Office. Initially, she faced ten felony charges, which included not only the counts of aggravated murder but also attempted murder and burglary.
Lead prosecutor, Washington County Attorney Jerry Jaeger, expressed satisfaction with the plea, calling the murders horrific. Details of the June 18, 2024, incident reveal why it captured such widespread attention.
Joseph Bailey, 70, and Gail Bailey, 69, were at their home in Washington, Utah, that evening when somebody walked in. That somebody was Mia Bailey, and she aimed a gun at her mother, who was watching TV, and fired. As Law&Crime’s “Sidebar with Jessie Weber” previously reported, the suspect proceeded to the master bedroom, where she shot her father.
According to a criminal affidavit, Bailey admitted to shooting her parents multiple times to ensure their deaths. During questioning, she reportedly confessed, “I would do it again. I hate them,” showing no remorse for her actions.
In addition to her parents, Bailey’s brother and his wife were present during the incident. Her brother was also targeted but managed to escape to a neighbor’s house, where he called the authorities. By the time the police arrived, Bailey had fled.
As the search for Bailey commenced, authorities alerted the public that she was undergoing a gender transition. Known previously as Colin Bailey, she might have altered her appearance with wigs, complicating identification efforts.
In July 2023, Mia Bailey filed to legally change her name and gender. Five days later, her brother filed a protective order against his sister, local CBS affiliate KUTV reporter Brian Schnee told “Sidebar.” Mia Bailey’s application was granted; the protective order was not.
“We don’t know a lot of things about the exact reason why this took place, but it’s obviously that there’s family tension there,” Schnee said last year. “It’s clear intent to enter the home … immediately go to mom, sitting in front of the TV … but then to make that commitment to leave that area to look for other people. It is chilling.”
Mia Bailey remained on the loose that night, and authorities launched a search for her. She was spotted at one point but disappeared into the woods. At about 8 a.m. the following morning, a negotiator got the suspect to surrender, and she was arrested.
Prosecutors announced days after the shooting that they were not seeking the death penalty in the case. Mia Bailey is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 19.
According to a GoFundMe for Joseph Bailey and Gail Bailey, their son, his wife, and their young grandchildren were living with the couple at the time of the shooting. “These children haven’t just lost their home, but they’ve lost their family and have been ripped out of their lives and everything they know,” the fundraiser states.
