In a tragic event, a 16-year-old high school student systematically killed his family members over a five-hour period.

Colin Jeffrey “CJ” Haynie carried out a mass shooting at his family residence in January 2020, resulting in the deaths of his mother and three siblings. Tooele County Attorney Scott Broadhead disclosed that Haynie also attempted to kill his father.

Haynie provided details of the incident to law enforcement officers upon his capture at a nearby hospital. This incident marked the first instance of such violence in Grantsville, Utah, in twenty years, as per ABC reports.

According to Broadhead, the defendant confessed to murdering his mother first around 1 pm, followed by the rest of the family members as they returned home.

On the tragic day, Consuelo Alejandra Haynie, 52, and her 12-year-old daughter Maylan were fatally shot upon entering the house after school. The prosecutor revealed that Haynie used a handgun to shoot them in critical areas.

Colin Haynie waited at home for an hour until his 15-year-old sister, Alexis, arrived from school. He then shot her in the head and upper body between 2 pm and 5:17 pm.

Upon the arrival of his 14-year-old brother, Matthew, Haynie fatally shot him with a single bullet to the head, according to authorities.

When his father returned home around 6:15 pm, he was shot in the leg by Haynie. However, the father managed to disarm his son after a struggle, as reported by prosecutors.

During questioning at the hospital, Colin Haynie claimed that his son had informed him of the family members’ deaths and expressed his intention to eliminate everyone except himself.

A fundraising campaign for the father’s medical and funeral expenses surpassed its $100,000 target.

In 2023, Haynie was tried as an adult and pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated murder for killing his family members and an additional count of attempted aggravated murder against his father. He received consecutive 25-year sentences for each murder charge and a concurrent sentence for attempted murder.

Court documents revealed that Haynie’s actions stemmed from his increasing social isolation, conflicts with his father, and unmet expectations, leading him to believe that killing his family was his only solution.

At the family’s funeral service, Danny Haynie, another sibling who was absent during the tragic events, fondly remembered his deceased family members and expressed love and hope for his brother’s well-being.

Although not mentioned by name, Colin Haynie’s positive memories were highlighted by his father during the service, who found comfort in envisioning his children’s spirits living on under their mother’s caring gaze.

The funeral program prominently featured family photographs of Haynie, reflecting the love and memories shared by the attendees.

Danny emphasized the eternal bond of family, expressing faith in a future reunion and strength in unity.