WASHINGTON CITY, Utah, June 20, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — A probable cause statement filed in the arrest of Mia Bailey says the 28-year-old, charged with killing her parents Tuesday night in their Washington City home, not only told police she had no remorse for the crimes, but she hated her parents and would shoot them again.
She also admitted she tried to shoot her brother and his wife by firing a shot through the locked door of a downstairs bedroom at her parents’ home.
“Mia both entered the home unlawfully and remained in the home unlawfully with the intent to commit felony murder,” her arrest affidavit says.
“Mia told officers that she went to the residence with the intent to kill her parents.”
Video courtesy Julie Barney Colbert
The crime scene
Bailey went to the residence she had formerly lived in, at 1039 E. Chinook Drive, where she was no longer welcome.
Bailey told officers she entered, without permission, through the unlocked front door.
After firing a gun at her mother, Gail, hitting her three times, her mother fell to the floor, Bailey said.
“Mia stated that her father, (Joseph), heard the shots and began walking towards her. Mia stated that she shot her father in the head and that he immediately dropped to the ground.
“After going downstairs for a time, Mia came back upstairs. Mia said she returned to her father who was lying on the ground and shot him one more time in the head to make sure that he was dead.
“While doing that, Mia heard her mother making noises, walked back over to her mother, and shot her in the head to make sure that she was dead.”
Bailey also went to a downstairs bedroom being used by her brother and his wife.
“Mia sought out her brother, C.B., who had locked himself in his bedroom after hearing an argument and gunshots upstairs,” Bailey’s affidavit says.
“Upon discovering the locked door Mia fired one round through the door in the direction of her brother.”
Investigators found a bullet hole in the door and another in the bedroom wall. No one was hit.
“Mia stated that her brother was not her main target but she would not have been sad had the gunshot killed him. Mia indicated that she knew her brother and his wife were in that bedroom, but they were not the main target.
“Mia further stated that she did not have remorse for her actions and that she would not change what she had done. Mia stated ‘I would do it again. I hate them.'”
The pursuit
Bailey was captured on a surveillance video leaving the scene in her car, a yellow 2014 Kia Soul. Washington City police were summoned to the scene at 7:02 p.m. Tuesday and found the two bodies, but no weapon.
They alerted the public on social media, warning them that Bailey, who stands 5 feet 10 inches and weighs a slim 130 pounds, traveling in distinctive yellow Kia, was the sole suspect and should be considered “armed and dangerous.”
Early Wednesday, Bailey was spotted in St. George, and a containment area was set up, but Bailey managed to escape, Washington City Police Lt. Kory Klotz said later at a news conference. Klotz said she was able to get away despite the involvement of multiple law enforcement agencies due in part to the darkness and heavy shrubbery.
“Come daylight, we had more citizens waking up and seeing information that was posted last night,” he said. “We started to get calls from all over the county in reference to the vehicle and possible sightings of Mia. So our citizens did great.”
Just before 8 a.m. Wednesday, a call came giving an exact location, in shrubbery against a wall near someone’s residence.
“And at that point, we started our negotiation tactics with Mia,” Klotz said. Multiple agencies were on scene, “trying to get the best outcome for Mia and our community, so that we can keep everybody safe. We were able to talk her into leaving the gun where she was at. The gun was clearly visible to us.”
After a couple hours and with that agreement, Bailey put the gun down and walked over to the officers, who took her into custody, Klotz said. She was placed under arrest.
Bailey was booked into the Purgatory Correctional Facility for investigation of:
- Two counts of aggravated murder
- Aggravated murder (attempted)
- Aggravated burglary
- Seven counts of felony discharge of a firearm
All are listed as first-degree felonies. Actual charges will be determined by the Washington County Attorney’s Office.
“Mia is a danger to the community,” her affidavit says. “Mia’s actions resulted in the death of both of her parents. Mia also attempted to kill her brother, shooting at him through a locked door. Mia openly describes her hatred of her brother. Mia also describes strained relationships with multiple other family members. Multiple family members told law enforcement that they were afraid of Mia. These family members all sought alternative lodging for the night to ensure their safety.”
The charging documents also noted Bailey’s attempts to evade police.
“Mia admits to throwing her phone out of her car window to avoid being tracked. The phone was recovered close to the scene after a telematic alert notified law enforcement. Mia was also observed by officers near Horseman Park and River Road. Officers gave multiple commands for Mia to stop but Mia ran on foot. In her interviews, Mia describes jumping fences or walls, hiding in bushes, sleeping in a park bathroom, and other efforts to elude law enforcement.
“Mia bragged about her ability to avoid the efforts of law enforcement to locate her, including evading officers, hiding from helicopters, and hiding from drones.”
Bailey is a risk to the community and to surviving family members, the arresting officer wrote in the affidavit.
“Mia has shown that she is a substantial risk to the surviving victims as indicated by her hatred of them, her indifference to their lives, and her efforts to kill them after killing her parents. This is further indicated by the family’s fear of Mia.”
Bailey was ordered held without bail.
