An American man who brutally slaughtered his family has been denied his wish of execution.
Jeremy Lake Bailey, 34, set about killing his wife Anastasia Stevens, in-laws Donald and Becky Stevens and three dogs at his home in Layton, Utah on May 19 this year. Shortly after the killing, Bailey called 911 saying that he had shot dead his relatives and there would be a "murder-suicide"
Before this, the murderer took to his wife's Facebook page to admit the horror that he had just committed saying that he had "just killed everyone" including "three of the dogs."
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But, despite his claims that he was going to take his own life, Bailey was arrested by police shortly after his call to them. He told police of his wish to face execution by firing squad, and that his massacre happened as a result of an argument with his wife.
To his dismay, he was spared execution last week and instead, was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences.
Judge Michael DiReda said: "Your life has been spared…You were extended mercy that you were unwilling to extend to your wife and her parents. Here you are the beneficiary of that very mercy."
There have been no executions in Utah since 2010 when Ronnie Lee Gardner was killed by firing squad for murdering attorney Michael Burdell during a failed escape from Salt Lake City courthouse in 1984.
Upon the judge's verdict, three relatives of the victims spoke of their grief.
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The half-brother of Anastasia and son of Becky, Wes Chisnall said: "I will never forget the childhood that I had because of Becky and Anna," NBC News reported.
His wife added: "His cowardice took the lives of a mother, a father and a sister. In the blink of an eye, he left my husband without his family.
"He stole the innocence of my children's youth; his actions have created a ripple in their life that will be forever felt."
Speaking to the court, Donald Stevens' sister, Tami Seipert, said: "We all are in pain for something that we had nothing to do with."
Jeremy Lake Bailey's attorney, Jonathan Nish claimed that the sentence passed down to his client was "fair."
He said: "This was a serious case that could have been a lot worse than it is now,"
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