Colin Jeffrey Haynie, 16, killed his mother and three siblings in a mass shooting at his family home in Grantsville, Utah, over five hours
Emilia Randall GAU Writer
11:42, 09 Feb 2026Updated 08:34, 10 Feb 2026
Alexis Haynie, Mathew Haynie, Maylan Haynie, Consuelo Alejandra Haynie. CJ Haynie(Image: KUTV)
In a horrific incident, a 16-year-old schoolboy murdered his family members one by one during a five-hour killing spree.
In January 2020, Colin Jeffrey “CJ” Haynie carried out a mass shooting at the family home. He killed his mother and three siblings and attempted to murder his father, according to Tooele County Attorney Scott Broadhead.
Following his arrest at a local hospital, Haynie provided police with details of what had transpired. The killings marked the first such tragedy in two decades for the quiet Utah town of Grantsville, according to abc.
“The defendant stated that he had killed his mother first at about 1 p.m. He then stated that he killed the others as they returned home,” Broadhead revealed during a press conference.
Consuelo Alejandra Haynie, 52, collected her 12-year-old daughter Maylan from school that day, and both were shot dead immediately upon entering the property. Prosecutors stated that Haynie allegedly used a handgun to shoot them in the head, neck and upper body areas, reports the Mirror.
Colin Haynie then waited in the house for an hour until his 15-year-old sister Alexis returned from school. Authorities said he shot her in the head and upper body between 2pm and 5:17pm.
CJ Haynie pleaded guilty on July 19, 2022(Image: KUTV)
When 14-year-old Matthew arrived home, Haynie killed his younger brother execution-style with a single shot to the head, the prosecutor stated.
His father was shot in the leg upon returning home around 6:15pm, before managing to wrestle with his son and seize the weapon from him, prosecutors said.
Colin Haynie revealed to investigators at the hospital that his son purportedly confessed to him that “his mother and other siblings were dead and that his intention was to kill everyone in the house except himself.”
A crowdfunding campaign set up to cover the father’s medical bills and funeral costs exceeded its £78,000 target.
In 2023, Haynie faced trial as an adult and entered guilty pleas to four counts of aggravated murder relating to his family members’ deaths, plus an additional count of attempted aggravated murder concerning his father.
Haynie was handed a 25-year sentence for each murder charge, to be served one after another, whilst the attempted murder count will run at the same time.
Alexis Haynie, Mathew Haynie, Maylan Haynie, Consuelo Alejandra Haynie. CJ Haynie(Image: KUTV)
Court documents reveal that Haynie’s motivation for the crimes arose from his growing social isolation, rows with his father and dashed expectations. He felt that shooting his family was his only way out.
During the family’s funeral service, Danny Haynie, another sibling who was away from home on 17 January when the killings took place, devoted much of his tribute to cherishing memories of his mother, younger sisters and brother, but also paused to express his enduring love for his brother.
“He is part of our family and we all love him,” Danny Haynie said. “We all want the best for him. Part of me feels like I lost him too but at least he’s still here.”
Haynie featured prominently in numerous family photographs displayed throughout a programme distributed to the hundreds of mourners – including friends, relatives and fellow church members – who gathered for the funeral service, with a particularly large image gracing the cover.
Whilst Colin refrained from naming his son directly, he revealed he’s chosen to concentrate on cherished memories from happier times.
He went on to say he finds solace in picturing his three youngsters eagerly discovering the afterlife whilst under the caring protection of their dedicated mother and his beloved wife. “Their spirit, their soul lives on,” he stated.
Four coffins occupied nearly the full width of the church’s front area, each adorned with elaborate flower arrangements. The coffin for Consuelo Alejandra Haynie, 52, was white, whilst the one for Matthew, 14, was blue.
The coffins for sisters Alexis, 15, and Milan, 12, were white with hints of purple.
“Families are eternal and that’s what is going to keep us going,” Danny remarked. “I know we will be reunited again as a family.”