Layton man gave guns to friend 2 days before killing family, but forgot about 1, police say

The Layton man who police say killed three members of his family Friday — his wife and his in-laws visiting from Nevada — had been "thinking of doing this a few days ago," according to a police booking affidavit released Saturday.

Jeremy Bailey, 34, called emergency dispatchers about 9:45 a.m. Friday and reported that there would be a murder-suicide. He stated that he had just killed his wife, his mother-in-law, his father-in-law and three out of four family dogs "after engaging in a domestic violence incident with his wife," the affidavit states.

"The suspect estimated he had killed everyone approximately 20 minutes before calling Layton police dispatch," Layton police wrote.

Bailey said he had stored firearms at his friend's garage "because he was thinking of doing this a few days ago." He also told dispatchers that he was armed with a Springfield 9mm firearm that had belonged to one of the victims, and "he had forgotten about it" until Friday, the affidavit states.

Officers arrived at the home of Bailey and his wife, 36-year-old Anastasia Stevens, at 1832 E. Gentile Street, where Bailey was ordered to exit the house and was taken into custody without further incident. Layton Police Lt. Travis Lyman said Bailey was still on the phone with dispatchers when officers arrived at the home. Instructions were relayed to Bailey to go outside.

Lyman described Bailey's demeanor as being "upset" but cooperative.

After Bailey was in custody, "officers immediately entered the home to confirm no additional dangerous individuals were present, and to render medical aid to any injured individuals inside," according to the affidavit.

Officers found two deceased dogs at the base of a staircase upon entering the front door of the home.

Upstairs, police found the bodies of Stevens, 61-year-old Becky Stevens who was Anastasia Stevens' stepmother, and 73-year-old Donald Stevens, Anastasia Stevens' father. Becky and Donald Stevens were visiting from Nevada. Neighbors say they may have been intending to stay for the summer to help with marriage problems between their daughter and Bailey.

Police found one victim's body in the southeast bedroom of the house, another body in the south bedroom and Donald Steven's body was located in the southwest bedroom. All were found with "apparent gunshot wounds," according to the affidavit.

"Layton Fire Department personnel determined all three victims were deceased. Officers further cleared the residence and located a third deceased dog in the basement of the home," the arrest report states.

Officers reported finding spent cartridge casings near each of the victims and deceased animals. A black handgun with the slide locked to the rear and magazine removed, an opened box of handgun ammunition with missing cartridges and two cellphones were found on the kitchen table, the affidavit says.

That wasn't all officers found.

"During a search of Bailey's truck, a receipt was located which shows a purchase of a box of ammunition," police wrote, adding that Bailey was captured on video surveillance just after 9 a.m. Friday making the ammunition purchase.

Bailey was booked into the Davis County Jail for investigation of three counts of aggravated murder, three counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and three counts of felony discharge of a firearm.

After being taken into custody and placed in a holding cell, police say Bailey was recorded saying, "I can't believe I did it."

Bailey allegedly told police there was a brief argument earlier in the morning, prior to the killings, but the arrest report does not provide any other details about that.

"We've been given some information that they may have been planning to stay the summer here at this house," Lyman said the couple may have been planning to stay at the house for a while because they put their recreation vehicle in long-term storage.

The affidavit notes that one of the victims had contacted a therapist "earlier in the day" and sent a message that read, "I think we may have a very real problem. So I uncovered the Megan load of his shady (expletive). And it's really bad. Like scary. I think it may be time for legal interference I know I definitely need to find an attorney and He's still at the house so I can't talk." The booking affidavit does not identify which victim had contacted a therapist.

Upon being taken into an interview room, police say Bailey requested that the surviving dog not be taken to the pound.

"He asked investigators if the death penalty and firing squad was still an active punishment. He stated, 'Probably not what you guys want to deal with today, a three-person murder.' The suspect made an utterance stating he'd rather get the death penalty than life in prison," the affidavit says.

Furthermore, investigators said they were able to contact the friend who had taken possession of Bailey's firearms and confirmed that he was given the firearms "on or around" Wednesday.

On Anastasia Stevens' Facebook page, a message was posted at 9:43 a.m. — two minutes before Layton police were called — stating, "MASSACRE SUICIDE Jeremy Bailey JUST KILLED EVERYONE Becky Stevens Don Stevens AND 3 OF THE 4 DOGS 1832 EAST GENTILE STREET LAYTON."

The arrest report notes that the post was made "at the approximate time of when the suspect contacted Layton dispatch."

Lyman said Friday that investigators are aware of the post and were trying to determine who made it.

Neighbors say they have heard yelling coming from the house in the past, but Lyman said police do not have a history of responding to the home.

Aaron Cotrell, a neighbor, said Bailey and Anastasia Stevens moved into the neighborhood a couple of years ago and that the couple was known for putting elaborate displays in their yard for Halloween and Christmas, including a donation jar he said Anastasia Stevens put out for pet shelters.

"From time to time, they would come up and we'd have them in our backyard. We thought they seemed totally normal, just a young couple, and they'd been together for years. He was a military guy and just absolutely seemed like he had a good head on his shoulders," Cotrell told KSL-TV. "He never seemed like the type to be able to pull like somebody like that off, ever."

Another member of the Cotrell family said he recently saw Bailey and Donald Stevens having a "heated argument" as he was driving by.

The Cotrells weren't the only ones surprised by Friday's tragedy. Neighbor Duane Porter said as far as he was concerned, the couple appeared to be "two of the happiest married kids in the world." And DelMar Stevens said "they seemed like ordinary people, neighborhood people."