By: Jeff Tavss
GRANTSVILLE, Utah (Scripps News Salt Lake City) — A Grantsville teenager will serve at least 100 years in prison after being sentenced for killing his mother and three siblings in 2020.
During sentencing Wednesday, 19-year-old C.J. Haynie received sentences of 25 years to life for each of the deaths and was ordered to pay $28,000 in restitution.
FILE – The caskets for Consuelo Alejandra Haynie, daughters 12-year-old Milan and 15-year-old Alexis, and 14-year-old son Matthew are carried following their funeral services on Jan. 24, 2020, in Grantsville, Utah. Colin “CJ” Haynie pleaded guilty Tuesday, July 19, 2022, to killing his mother and three siblings when he was a teenager in 2020. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
Haynie pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated murder and one count of attempted aggravated murder last year.
In January 2020, Haynie, then 16 years old, shot and killed his 52-year-old mother, Consuelo Alejandra Haynie, along with 15-year-old Alexis Haynie, 14-year-old Matthew Haynie and 12-year-old Milan Haynie. The attempted aggravated murder charge stemmed from Haynie shooting his father in the leg when returned home the same evening as the murders.
Haynie spoke Wednesday, admitting to his guilt and apologizing for the murders despite the teen having never explained why he killed his family. However, the prosecution offered passionate testimony, saying the murders were planned and methodical, and can’t be explained by immaturity.
The first four counts related to the murders will run consecutively, while the attempted murder sentence will run concurrently, meaning Haynie will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars.
During the hearing, it was announced that the Board of Pardons will determine the specifics of the prison terms, including whether the teenager will ever have a chance at parole.
Haynie’s attorney, Richard Van Wagoner, said his client has show miraculous growth over the last few years.
“I’m generally a glass half empty person, but I do have hope for him because I’ve seen so much progress from where he was,” he said.
FILE – Caprice Cortez, Faith Goodsell, Autumn Barton and Mykaylla Darrow, all teammates on the Grantsville High School girls soccer team that Alexis Haynie played on, stand together at a candlelight vigil for the Haynie family at City Park in Grantsville, Utah, on Jan. 20, 2020. Colin “CJ” Haynie pleaded guilty Tuesday, July 19, 2022, to killing his mother and three siblings when he was a teenager in 2020. (Spenser Heaps/The Deseret News via AP, File)
Following the hearing, the Grantsville Police Department released a statement on the sentence.
“We are grateful to all the State, County, and local agencies that assisted our investigative team with this complex and emotional case,” the department wrote. “We appreciate the hard work and long hours put in this case by all the investigators and the prosecutors office. We are grateful that a resolution was reached in the Tooele County District Court and we hope this can help the family and community start the healing process.”
This story was originally published by KSTU in Salt Lake City, an E.W. Scripps Company.
