Friends and family gather following funeral services to remember a mother and three of her children who police say were killed by her teenage son Friday, Jan. 24, 2020, in Grantsville, Utah. Prosecutors say 16-year-old Colin “CJ” Haynie “methodically” killed his mother and siblings one by one as they returned home over a period of five hours on Jan. 17. Prosecutors have said the teenager shot his father in the leg before the older man wrestled a handgun away. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
TOOELE, Utah (AP) — A judge set bail at $4 million Monday for a Utah teenager who authorities say “methodically” killed his mother and three younger siblings.
The father and older brother of the suspect, Colin “CJ” Haynie, 16, sat in the front row of the courtroom during a brief hearing where the judge also granted the request from the boy’s attorney and prosecutors to keep him in juvenile detention facility even though he’s being charged as an adult. The bail amount was requested by prosecutors: $1 million for each victim.
CJ Haynie wore a red long-sleeve shirt and was handcuffed during the hearing in Tooele, west of Salt Lake City. The teen remained stoic and spoke only to say yes to a couple of basic questions from the judge. He didn’t look into the galley when he entered and exited the courtroom.
His father and brother declined to comment outside court.
He is being charged as an adult by prosecutors due to the gravity of the crime. Authorities have said they don’t know the motive in the Jan. 17 killings in the small town of Grantsville though they say he told his father he wanted to kill everyone in his family except himself.
Prosecutors say the teen waited for members of his family to return home and fatally shot them one-by-one as they returned over several hours. His father, Colin L. Haynie, was the last to return home and was shot in the leg but survived after wrestling the gun away. The family’s oldest child, Danny Haynie, wasn’t home at the time of the shooting.
Danny Haynie said at a funeral Friday that CJ Haynie is still loved and part of the family, and that they still want the best for him.
The attorney representing the teen in the hearing, Richard Van Wagoner, said in court he has met extensively with CJ Haynie but he declined to reveal anything he learned from that meeting when reporters spoke with him outside court. He spoke only generally about the case.
“All I can say is that this is the just most horrific tragedy for this entire family,” Van Wagoner said.
The teenager is charged with 10 felonies, including aggravated murder and discharge of a firearm. He hasn’t entered pleas to the charges.
The next hearing was scheduled for Feb. 4.
Hundreds of friends, family and fellow church parishioners attended the funeral as they remembered the four victims. Speakers said mother Consuelo Alejandra Haynie, 52, loved to prepare meals, make other people’s children feel welcome at her home and served as her children’s “mama bear” and protector.
Milan Haynie, 12, was a feisty, tough girl who tried to emulate the traits of her favorite super heroes, they say. Alexis Haynie, 15, had a quiet confidence and infectious smile and played goalie on her high school soccer team. Matthew Haynie, 14, loved to win at whatever he played and loved “Star Wars” movies. The family were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church.
Prosecutors will not be allowed to seek the death penalty against CJ Haynie because he is a minor. The longest possible prison sentence he could get for an aggravated murder conviction is 25 years to life.
By BRADY McCOMBS
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