FARMINGTON, Utah — Five months after a man was arrested forkilling his wife and in-laws in Layton, he pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated murder.
Jeremy Bailey, 34, entered a plea deal on Thursday as he appeared virtually in court from the Davis County Jail.
As part of his plea, the state dismissed with prejudice the remaining counts against Bailey.
In May, FOX 13 News reported Bailey had also been formally charged with three counts of felony discharge of a firearm and three counts of aggravated cruelty to animals.
Bailey's charges were also amended from Capital Aggravated Murder charges to first-degree felony aggravated murder charges as part of the plea agreement.
During the court hearing, the judge asked if the plea agreement had been presented to family members who would be considered victims in the case.
The prosecutor said the agreement had been presented to the family and they were in support of the resolution.
Bailey's guilty plea comes five months after he was arrested for killing his wife, 36-year-old Anastasia Stevens, along with her father, 73-year-old Donald Stevens, and her stepmother, 61-year-old Becky Stevens.
Court documents state Bailey called police to report he had killed his family members as well as three of the family's four dogs.
Days before the killings, Bailey took his guns to a friend's house but was armed with a gun that belonged to one of the victims, documents reported.
After he was arrested, police recorded that they heard Bailey say phrases such as, "I can't believe I did it," and that he'd "rather get the death penalty than life in prison," FOX 13 News previously reported.
Police reported that Donald and Becky Stevens were from Nevada and visiting their daughter when they were killed. It appeared the couple was possibly planning to stay for the summer in Layton with their daughter.
Police also previously reported that Bailey told them he had an argument of some sort with his wife before killing her and her parents.
The court accepted Bailey's plea and a sentencing was scheduled for December 12.
