ST. GEORGE, Utah — The woman who surprisingly pleaded guilty last month to killing her parents inside their Washington County home could spend the rest of her life in prison after being sentenced on Friday.
Mia Bailey confessed to the murders after agreeing to a plea deal during what was supposed to be a simple status hearing in November. In the deal, Bailey pleaded guilty to counts of Aggravated Murder and one count of Aggravated Assault. She also pleaded guilty to being mentally ill, which is a step below an insanity plea.
Joseph and Gail Bailey were found dead inside their home on June 18, 2024. Bailey's brother and his wife were also targeted by Mia, but were able to escape the home unharmed.
During the sentencing hearing, Corey Bailey, the brother who was targeted, told the court he is “conflicted” over the meaning of justice in the case of his 29-year-old sister.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about justice served… and I don’t think there can be any true justice,” he said. “We’ve lost our parents. We lose Mia either way with this sentence.”
Corey and brother Dustin urged Judge Keith C. Barnes to hold their sister accountable but not for revenge. They said the safest place for her is prison for the rest of her life.
After hearing from Bailey's brothers, as well as a statement from Bailey herself, which was read by defensive attorney Ryan Stout, Judge Barnes sentenced Bailey to consecutive sentences of 25 years to life for the Aggravated Murder charges, and 0-5 years for an Aggravated Assault charge.
The emotional testimony left many in the Fifth District Courthouse showing tears, including the judge. Bailey was mostly emotionless through the hearing.
Rather than speaking in court directly, Bailey said, “I wish I could earn forgiveness.” She also expressed not wanting to live. In previous hearings, Bailey expressed conflict with prosecutors and her own defense attorney, asking that the death penalty be sought against her. Prosecutors refused.
It was revealed in testimony Friday that Bailey was diagnosed with autism at age four and later with the mental illnesses of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
During the hearing, the brothers highlighted their parents, calling them advocates to their daughter for her decision to transition from male to female, as well as for mental illness challenges she had.
“(Mom) spent her lifetime working with hospitals and schools on mental illness. Long before people knew what autism and schizophrenia meant,” Dustin said. He said their father Joseph spent a lot of time on maritime boats and believed in “responsibility over excuses.”
“These were two real people defined not by how they died but by how they lived,” Dustin said. “We are also here for Mia.”
Without answers or testimony from Mia, who pleaded guilty without trial, the reason why she sought to take her parents and siblings’ lives hasn’t been clear. But in court, Dustin took issue with what they said was improper medical and mental care in the days and weeks before the murders.
He said his sister was released “too quickly” after three days in the hospital for schizophrenia in the week just before the killings and said she received prescriptions for hormone blockers “through telehealth” without psychiatric exams.
Dustin also took issue with her access to a firearm despite a protective order.
“I want to be clear for the record. There is nothing wrong with being transgender. This is about medical negligence,” Dustin said.
Washington County Attorney Jerry Jaeger, who was already the lead prosecutor in the case before he was appointed as county attorney earlier in the year, told the court he had planned to show additional evidence and call officers to testify, but refrained out of respect for the family’s wishes.
After the sentencing, Jaeger, who preferred not to be interviewed on camera, provided a statement.
“This has been a difficult case for our office, for me personally as the prosecutor, and especially for the Bailey family,” Jaeger said. “Today wasn’t about Mia. It was about Joseph and Gail, two individuals whose lives were cut tragically short. We are relieved and grateful for the judge’s ruling that Mia serve consecutive prison sentences, one sentence for each victim. We also hope there can be healing for all involved.”
Like the family and Jaeger, Stout also asked the judge for concurrent sentences.
Barnes called the crimes “very chilling” and read from a granddaughter’s letter describing a last treasured memory of watching the sunset with her grandparents.
While standing as she listened to the judge’s description of the letter and the crime, Bailey visibly shook and made a sniffing sound. After she learned her fate and deputies led her from the courtroom, she made her longest glance at family members for about five seconds, a sad expression on her face.
