UT - Family of 8 found dead in home by gunshot in Enoch, Jan 2023

[Snoopster]

The City of Enoch released their final investigative report on the case a few days ago and it provides more details about his behavior leading up to the killings.

Final police report of Enoch murder-suicide reveals a husband’s violent spiral, and a family ready for divorce

That’s when Michael showed up, unannounced, “trying to get Tausha to leave with him and ‘go for a drive,’” the report states. “Tausha told (her friends) that she had a terrible feeling and felt like she shouldn’t go anywhere alone with him. She ended up shutting the door in his face and telling him to leave.”

The family came home that Saturday night, and at church the next day, Tausha would not let Michael sit with the family.

 

[iamshadow21]

The City of Enoch released their final investigative report on the case a few days ago and it provides more details about his behavior leading up to the killings.

Final police report of Enoch murder-suicide reveals a husband’s violent spiral, and a family ready for divorce

So, no doubt he abused his entire family, physically and psychologically. If he's throwing a seven year old across a room, then he's not just attacking his wife and the older ones. And by the time T filed, he'd decided, minimum, to kill her. By the 30th, everyone.

She did everything possible to get away from him. She filed for divorce, reported things to DCFS, her daughters were recording stuff and telling friends they wanted someone to keep them safe. But anyone who knows anything about domestic violence knows that the time you're most likely to be killed is when you're leaving or have just left.

I have to state again just for the record how rare and hard it is for active Mormons who divorce. How hard it was for my family in the nineties. Even when there is documented abuse and police and court records. And I was living in a regular Australian community with a low concentration of Mormons. T and her kids were living in a small community with a high concentration of Mormons, IN UTAH.

She is my hero for trying to save her kids from him, for filing, for trying to shield them from him. Big sis M is my hero for trying to record his abuse, speak out, report, and save her mum and her sibs.

They all could have had such a great life without him.

But he was selfish enough to not allow them to exist without him. And if that's not the most malignant form of narcissism, I don't know what is.

I'm just glad they released this information, that that false narrative put out in the aftermath by certain people won't be allowed to stand. This man should not be lionised, he should be buried unlamented, and forgotten. T, her mother, and the kids should be the ones remembered, for their endurance and their courage. I just wish they'd had a chance to live, instead, and we never heard about them, not like this.

MOO

 

[imstilla.grandma]

In his bizarre suicide note, Haight cast himself as the victim and blamed his wife, Tausha, the Daily Mail reported.

“This is nonsense and I can’t handle it for one more day. We will not be a burden on society. I kept asking for help and you wouldn’t listen,” Haight allegedly wrote.

“I would rather rot in hell than to put up with another day of this manipulation and control over me.”

News of the suicide note comes after documents obtained by the Deseret Newsthrough a public records request detailed how Haight took firearms from the home, was investigated on suspicion of child abuse, and searched online for “gunshot in a house” prior to the murders.

Utah dad Michael Haight who murdered his 5 kids and wife leaves disturbing suicide note

Now, despite allegations that Haight was the family abuser, a suicide note has come out in which he describes himself as the victim and blamed his wife, Tausha, the Daily Mail reported.

nypost.com

 

[iamshadow21]

“I would rather rot in hell than to put up with another day of this.”

RSBM

From his lips to God's ears.

If there is a just god, then I have no doubt he's listened and granted this. Seven blameless souls would stand in witness.

MOO

 

[KooshBall]

I wonder what he had done wrong at his job. I'm sad for the kids. They must have been so excited about their future without that monster in the house, so close to freedom, only to have their futures stolen.

 

[iamshadow21]

Documents reveal family services investigated Enoch father two weeks before he murdered his family

Oh, I thought it was bad... I can't imagine.

A was sick, and T, his mother, said he didn’t need to get ready for school. But MH didn’t believe his son. He got angry, and allegedly threw A on the floor, then left for work.

 

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[Tricia]

To answer a question the Deseret News is considered a mainstream media source and is fine to use. Thank you,
Tricia

 

[iamshadow21]

To answer a question the Deseret News is considered a mainstream media source and is fine to use. Thank you,
Tricia

Thank you, Tricia! I posted the link and then, I realised what I'd done and went 'oh, shoot!'

I was raised Mormon, so my brain just did the thing where Mormon stuff is automatically mainstream and normal and Church News IS The News... even though I've been 'out' longer than I was in.

But it's useful to know, probably for more folks than me when the crime in question is in a Mormon family and community.

 

[Howl]

I wonder what he had done wrong at his job.

My understanding is that he owned his own insurance agency, was quite successful financially and beloved by his customers.

At some point before the murders, though, he sold his business. I think it was a few months before, but I can't recall specifically.

I still can't get over that suicide note, though. Zero remorse.

@iamshadow21, thanks for that heartfelt post. Tasha did everything right, they knew they had to leave that abuser behind. It's the repeating tragedy of DV.

 

[Marysmith]

The City of Enoch released their final investigative report on the case a few days ago and it provides more details about his behavior leading up to the killings.

Final police report of Enoch murder-suicide reveals a husband’s violent spiral, and a family ready for divorce

This is is brutal to read. Tasha and her daughters tried so hard.

 

[Marysmith]

I wonder what he had done wrong at his job. I'm sad for the kids. They must have been so excited about their future without that monster in the house, so close to freedom, only to have their futures stolen.

I wonder too. I’m so sad for them too. Their lives would have been so much better without him.
His life was unraveling clearly and he had 2 huge stressors with his job and the impending divorce. I’m sure Tausha didn’t, and probably very few, knew about his job situation.

 

[Quim The Extraordinaire]

My understanding is that he owned his own insurance agency, was quite successful financially and beloved by his customers.

At some point before the murders, though, he sold his business. I think it was a few months before, but I can't recall specifically.
<snipped by me for focus>

There may be more to that story. The Deseret News article posted above contains a timeline with this entry:

• On Dec. 22, Michael tells a friend that he left his job as an insurance agent at Allstate. According to Michael, he was “terminated with cause” for a policy violation — something that would make it very difficult for him to get a job elsewhere — and he would not be receiving his Christmas bonus.

—
The Christmas bonus may have been a significant portion of his income.

My speculation is that Michael Haight’s rage issues became too great for even long-time colleagues and employers to dismiss.

IMO, he was such a fortunate man to have a beautiful family, live in a gorgeous scenic area, and hold a career that could sustain his family. But that wasn’t enough for him. He destroyed everything while selfishly sealing his ears to his children’s cries so he could focus on his internal wailing about his own victimhood.

May his victims rest in peace.

May he rot in eternal despair.

MOO.

 

[Snoopster]

So, no doubt he abused his entire family, physically and psychologically. If he's throwing a seven year old across a room, then he's not just attacking his wife and the older ones. And by the time T filed, he'd decided, minimum, to kill her. By the 30th, everyone.

She did everything possible to get away from him. She filed for divorce, reported things to DCFS, her daughters were recording stuff and telling friends they wanted someone to keep them safe. But anyone who knows anything about domestic violence knows that the time you're most likely to be killed is when you're leaving or have just left.

I have to state again just for the record how rare and hard it is for active Mormons who divorce. How hard it was for my family in the nineties. Even when there is documented abuse and police and court records. And I was living in a regular Australian community with a low concentration of Mormons. T and her kids were living in a small community with a high concentration of Mormons, IN UTAH.

She is my hero for trying to save her kids from him, for filing, for trying to shield them from him. Big sis M is my hero for trying to record his abuse, speak out, report, and save her mum and her sibs.

They all could have had such a great life without him.

But he was selfish enough to not allow them to exist without him. And if that's not the most malignant form of narcissism, I don't know what is.

I'm just glad they released this information, that that false narrative put out in the aftermath by certain people won't be allowed to stand. This man should not be lionised, he should be buried unlamented, and forgotten. T, her mother, and the kids should be the ones remembered, for their endurance and their courage. I just wish they'd had a chance to live, instead, and we never heard about them, not like this.

MOO

 

[Snoopster]

So, no doubt he abused his entire family, physically and psychologically. If he's throwing a seven year old across a room, then he's not just attacking his wife and the older ones. And by the time T filed, he'd decided, minimum, to kill her. By the 30th, everyone.

She did everything possible to get away from him. She filed for divorce, reported things to DCFS, her daughters were recording stuff and telling friends they wanted someone to keep them safe. But anyone who knows anything about domestic violence knows that the time you're most likely to be killed is when you're leaving or have just left.

I have to state again just for the record how rare and hard it is for active Mormons who divorce. How hard it was for my family in the nineties. Even when there is documented abuse and police and court records. And I was living in a regular Australian community with a low concentration of Mormons. T and her kids were living in a small community with a high concentration of Mormons, IN UTAH.

She is my hero for trying to save her kids from him, for filing, for trying to shield them from him. Big sis M is my hero for trying to record his abuse, speak out, report, and save her mum and her sibs.

They all could have had such a great life without him.

But he was selfish enough to not allow them to exist without him. And if that's not the most malignant form of narcissism, I don't know what is.

I'm just glad they released this information, that that false narrative put out in the aftermath by certain people won't be allowed to stand. This man should not be lionised, he should be buried unlamented, and forgotten. T, her mother, and the kids should be the ones remembered, for their endurance and their courage. I just wish they'd had a chance to live, instead, and we never heard about them, not like this.

MOO

She absolutely did everything she could. She stood strong for her family.
But she coudn't escape the monster. To have his family lionise him is the most disgusting thing I've ever come across here on WS. He is a child murderer. He is despicable.
His parents and extended family need to give their head a shake. They are culpable if they support him.

ETA: typo

 

[LordMo]

the part that is bewildering me is the obituary/dedication.

like, yeah, I've seen obituaries from families who want to tersely mourn their loved ones who they know died doing something wrong, and I get it. It's horrible to comprehend. You don't want to admit that someone you love did something so heinous.

But that obituary was actively praising this abusive piece of slime for violence and murder, because he was the "man" in his family. I hesitate to even give him the designation of human.

I hope the people who wrote and approved it get a flat tire everywhere they travel, and stub their toes every time they wake up at night. Same goes for the community figures who let this behavior slide while the victims were actively reaching out for help. A scrape upon their elbows and a run in their front-pleated Kohl's khaki slacks.

 

[Marysmith]

I just wish they could have been protected from him.

the part that is bewildering me is the obituary/dedication.

like, yeah, I've seen obituaries from families who want to tersely mourn their loved ones who they know died doing something wrong, and I get it. It's horrible to comprehend. You don't want to admit that someone you love did something so heinous.

But that obituary was actively praising this abusive piece of slime for violence and murder, because he was the "man" in his family. I hesitate to even give him the designation of human.

I hope the people who wrote and approved it get a flat tire everywhere they travel, and stub their toes every time they wake up at night. Same goes for the community figures who let this behavior slide while the victims were actively reaching out for help. A scrape upon their elbows and a run in their front-pleated Kohl's khaki slacks.

And what about the fundraising page replacing his picture with a picture of Jesus? That was so bizarre to say the least…

 

[LordMo]

I just wish they could have been protected from him.

And what about the fundraising page replacing his picture with a picture of Jesus? That was so bizarre to say the least…

M'mselle Smith, I hadn't even remembered that part. I'm not even particularly religious anymore but, as someone who did have a generically Christian upbringing, yeah... That don't jive with me. I know that it's our collective responsibility to discourage a world where men feel entitled to take lives, but it's disheartening as all-get-out when men can be on record literally throwing a child, then having his feeble blood literally paint him as a messiah for murdering children.

 

[RememberingRyan]

I just wish they could have been protected from him.

And what about the fundraising page replacing his picture with a picture of Jesus? That was so bizarre to say the least…

It’s a common practice in LDS culture to commission pictures (usually artwork, but sometimes photoshop as was done here) where Jesus is embracing family - particularly deceased family members or miscarried babies. They don’t usually *replace* a member of the family with Jesus, but I believe that they made the choice to do it that way in this instance specifically because they wanted to symbolize the eternal family unit without their murderer. I don’t think it was ever intended to convey “this family annihilator was so Christlike we turned him into Jesus”.

 

[RememberingRyan]

(This is not all intended to be critical or condemning of this cultural practice, nor to poke-fun at it; I only want to share context examples so that readers might better understand, what I believe is, the probable intent of the photoshopped family photo where MH was replaced with an image of Jesus)

Some examples of this cultural practice of using Jesus as a feature in family portraits:

(Jesus holding miscarried children beside the living family)

(an actor portraying Jesus in a couple's engagement photoshoot)

(Jesus posing as the symbolic link between a deceased father and his living widow and children)