An obituary for a man who police saykilled seven members of his family, then himself in a murder-suicide has garnered criticism after it heavily emphasized that the 42-year-old father who shot and killed his five children, wife and mother-in-law was a dedicated family man.On Jan. 4, police discovered the bodies offive children and three adultswho were shot to death inside an Enoch City, Utah home after conducting a welfare check on the family.Investigators determined that Michael Haight, 42, killed his wife, Tausha Haight, 40, her mother, Gail Earl, and the five children he shared with Tausha, three girls and two boys ranging from the ages of 4 to 17. Michael then turned the gun on himself, Enoch city Manager Rob Dotson said during a press conferencestreamedon Facebook.Thenow-private obituaryfor Michael states an array of his accomplishments with no mentions of the murders. Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action, shared the obituary on Twitter with screenshots before it was made private after widespread criticism.“Michael made it a point to spend quality time with each and every one of his children,” his obituary reads. “Michael enjoyed making memories with the family.“The obituary noted that Michael and Tausha were married in 2003 and “welcomed 5 children into their family.” All of the children are named and says “each of these children were truly a cherished miracle to them.“It also said that Michael “enjoyed making memories with the family” and that he “lived a life of service,” including serving in the church and on a mission in Brazil for The Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-Day Saints, coaching his kids' sports teams, attending their school concerts and “doing home-improvement projects, sledding and much more.“Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.The obituary touched on Michael’s youth, schooling and his career at an insurance company, noting, “He recently sold his business to allow more flexibility to spend time with his family. “Haight Family.Tausha Haight/FaceBookTwo weeks before the shooting, Tausha filed for divorce, but Enoch Mayor Geoffrey Chesnut said it was too early for investigators to determine if that was a motive in the killings.In a separateobituary for Tausha, it described her as a loving mother.“Her greatest desire in life was to be a mother and raise children that exemplified Christ’s attributes,” Tausha’s obituary reads. “She was an incredible mother who constantly sacrificed everything for her children.“Tausha’s obituary also has sections that describe her five children who were also killed on Jan. 4.If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go tothehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
An obituary for a man who police saykilled seven members of his family, then himself in a murder-suicide has garnered criticism after it heavily emphasized that the 42-year-old father who shot and killed his five children, wife and mother-in-law was a dedicated family man.
On Jan. 4, police discovered the bodies offive children and three adultswho were shot to death inside an Enoch City, Utah home after conducting a welfare check on the family.
Investigators determined that Michael Haight, 42, killed his wife, Tausha Haight, 40, her mother, Gail Earl, and the five children he shared with Tausha, three girls and two boys ranging from the ages of 4 to 17. Michael then turned the gun on himself, Enoch city Manager Rob Dotson said during a press conferencestreamedon Facebook.
Thenow-private obituaryfor Michael states an array of his accomplishments with no mentions of the murders. Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action, shared the obituary on Twitter with screenshots before it was made private after widespread criticism.
“Michael made it a point to spend quality time with each and every one of his children,” his obituary reads. “Michael enjoyed making memories with the family.”
The obituary noted that Michael and Tausha were married in 2003 and “welcomed 5 children into their family.” All of the children are named and says “each of these children were truly a cherished miracle to them.”
It also said that Michael “enjoyed making memories with the family” and that he “lived a life of service,” including serving in the church and on a mission in Brazil for The Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-Day Saints, coaching his kids' sports teams, attending their school concerts and “doing home-improvement projects, sledding and much more.”
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
The obituary touched on Michael’s youth, schooling and his career at an insurance company, noting, “He recently sold his business to allow more flexibility to spend time with his family. "
Haight Family.Tausha Haight/FaceBook
Two weeks before the shooting, Tausha filed for divorce, but Enoch Mayor Geoffrey Chesnut said it was too early for investigators to determine if that was a motive in the killings.
In a separateobituary for Tausha, it described her as a loving mother.
“Her greatest desire in life was to be a mother and raise children that exemplified Christ’s attributes,” Tausha’s obituary reads. “She was an incredible mother who constantly sacrificed everything for her children.”
Tausha’s obituary also has sections that describe her five children who were also killed on Jan. 4.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go tothehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
source: people.com
