Trans Woman Murders Parents Over 'Betrayal'

Stop right there! Let's talk about it! If you could go back to yesterday, we can change the outcome of your mom-cat. I didn't want to become the monster that they made me to be. But that was my straw. Located just minutes from Zion National Park, Washington, Utah, is a small city surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty. But on June 18th, 2024, just after 7pm, residents of an affluent enclave are startled by the sound of gunshots, echoing from a nearby house. Multiple neighbors call 9-1-1. Within minutes, Washington City police officers arrive at the home of 70-year-old retired maritime engineer Joseph Bailey and his wife's 60-year-old Gail Bailey. When officers make entry into the home, they are met with unimaginable violence. Gail Bailey is faced down on the living room floor next to a blood-soaked couch. She's been shot multiple times. In the hallway outside the master bedroom, police find Joseph Bailey sprawled on his back in a pool of blood. He's been shot in the head. The victims are pronounced dead at the scene. With no sign of forced entry or missing valuables, detectives theorize whoever shot this couple came here with one intent to execute them. As police quickly secure the scene, a frantic neighbor flags down an officer. The neighbor says someone entered their house uninvited. Unsure if it's the killer, police swiftly take action. The unarmed man identifies himself as Cory Bailey, Joseph and Gail's son. The woman with him is his wife. Cory tells officers they live with his parents, and they were in the house when they were murdered. Cory knows his heart and they go, "I need to get somewhere out of the day." So these are my wife and downstairs. All I know is I heard shooting upstairs and then my mother yelling and screaming, and then I locked the door to her room and I started opening the window and I tried got her out and got myself out. By the time we were climbing off the window, he was pounding on my door trying to open it. I heard that shots in the door there. I think he's trying to shoot the door open or something. I don't know if I can shoot in or be there. When officers ask Cory if he knows who murdered his parents, he doesn't hesitate. He says the killer is his 28-year-old sibling, Mia Bailey. "He's schizophrenic. He's been going through a lot of issues lately and transitioning." Cory reveals that Mia is a transgender female. Mia's birth name is Colin Troy Bailey. "Any idea where we headed up? He started counting on our door as soon as we were going out the window, so I have no idea. I don't even know how he got here." "So he doesn't live here? No. He has a protective order against him already." Cory says he got a protection order against Mia after she pulled a gun on him last year. "What was he driving?" "I have no idea." "We know he just ran away." "Okay, he usually drives a yellow key on himself." Police learn Mia is homeless and has no fixed address. The immediately issue of a low alert, hoping someone will spot her. "The control is successful. The only description I could get was skinny, slender, about 5-9. Sometimes where's the wig? I'm known what along this hair is today." Believing she's armed and dangerous, they also issue a shelter-in-place order for the entire surrounding area. As CSI techs continue to process and photograph the crime scene, the victim's bodies are removed from the home and taken to the medical examiner's office. Meanwhile, officers canvass the neighborhood looking for potential witnesses. "Do you see anything or hear anything up here?" "No, I didn't hear anything except the fire and it's coming." "Sorry." "No worries." During their canvas, a neighbor comes forward with new evidence. She says her home security cameras captured Mia's car and Cory and his wife fleeing the house. "I have that car pulling up at this time and then these guys come running down at 7-12, so I can show you the full footage if you want." "Are you able to capture that or screenshot it or whatever you can do to show it?" "Yeah, I think, so I screenshot it. I think I could share this video too if I can download it." "Okay, if you get sent those over, that'll be great." "Yeah, because we heard it and I watched him drive off that way, but I don't think so." "He did drive off that way?" "Yeah, he went to that direction. I'm not sure." "Okay, so was that him arriving or leaving?" "Arriving at 658-58 keep passes our camera." "658?" "Yeah, and then they are running down yelling shots fired at 7-12." Police obtain a warrant and track Mia's cell phone to a location just a half mile from the crime scene. But when they arrive, it's a dead end. Mia's not there. Her phone has been discarded on the side of the road. As night falls and the man hunt for Mia continues, a detective makes contact with her maternal aunt. "So I just want to kind of talk with you real quick and see when the last time you talked with Mia was." "547, I called her because her mother had called my mom, our mom, and they have not had a great relationship. And I said, "What's going on?" And she said, "My mom, she's very upset that her mom had called the hospital and put off her sex change operation." So she ran for a little bit about that and then she said, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't yell at you." And I said, "That's okay. It was a very, you know, call early normal conversation." "Okay, so nothing, she wasn't acting super crazy or upset. Anything that would make you concerned that something like this was going to happen?" "No, a couple weeks ago, she went into the hospital to get her meds fixed around." "And she came out, but she's always been very duffel around us. But, you know, we'd completely call her Mia and her sex change is fine. You know, she doesn't have the things, well, she had with her parents or whatever." "Yeah, can you help me, can you describe that a little bit? Help me understand her relationship with her parents?" "Well, she had an incident with her brother and then they, you know, took out their training orders and she had to leave and she's kind of just been here there and everywhere, not, you know, and I don't really know because I haven't had a relationship with my sister in two years. So, I never talked to her. I have no idea." "Well, she's been how often. I know she talked to her dad more than her mom, but I don't know. Last I heard the dad was taking her up for a sex change operation. Now, that's what she told me that dad was going to drive her up and stay with her. The next thing I knew was off. And I just heard that today. So, I don't know when that happened." Mia's aunt says her son might know more about Mia's state of mind. The detective reaches out to him. "I was told, I was giving your name a number, told the call, then you might have more information as far as Mia's possible location, where she's been, what her mind frame has been, what her mental state has been, recently, what she's upset about right now, that kind of thing. What can you, can you kind of help me? Do you know where she's staying?" "She was staying with me until last night." "How long has she been staying with you?" "Just a couple days, four days, maybe." "How has she been the last few days? Like, anything just, like. " "I mean, delusional, paranoid, mentally ill. It's not me and I can't put it any more frank than her not making sense. Like, I don't think she's in any right mind, obviously she did what she did, but I'm just saying, like, you know what I'm saying? You know, she's a juice clinically insane at this moment, you know. So, this wasn't like a one day thing where she got excited and did something horrible. This is like, her brain has been in this state for a while." Mia's cousin says her mental health issues were too much for him to handle. Was putting devices that produce radiation near me and microphones in the walls and I said, "All right." And I realized at that point, you can't argue with somebody who's that far gone. And I just said, "All right, you need to leave. You need you to get some mental health." You know, but for now, I can't house you. You know, it was already cordial and stuff, and I helped her for her stuff to her car. And I said, "Yeah, I love you. I hope you get some help." Okay. As detectives, work through the night and into the early morning, they catch a break. Around 1 a.m., a patrol officer spots Mia, walking on the side of River Road, south of Washington. He radios for backup. Officers and canine units arrive and get into position. - Yeah, this is the Grand Ganges Police Department. - We need you to operate without scared of that. Please put your hand up. Have your hands clear, rock towards the head right to the river. We provide you. - Mia responds by raising a gun to her head. - Mia, stop right there! Let's talk about it! - We can't let him get down there. Mia, stop right there! LT, he's walking towards the house. What do you think goes towards the house? Do you want us to take him out? Officers weigh the risk against the outcome. If they pursue Mia, there's a chance she could kill herself or open fire on them. There's no communication, she's gunned to the head. - I don't know what you can't say, we need to f***ing light. - They decide to stand down and Mia slips away into the darkness. - Dammit. - Should we lost her in this darkness? - She went on the left side, somewhere out there. As the sun rises, the pressure to find Mia intensifies. Then around 8 a.m., police get word that Mia has been spotted again. This time, she's in an open field in St. George, less than five miles from the crime scene. Local authorities and SWAT teams descend on the area. - Man, this is a St. George Police Department. If you come out of the hands out, they comply. You will not be injured. I can't come out of the hands out of the hands out of the hands. - This is a St. If you want to rob it and under arrest, come out of the hands of us. - Surrounded by police, Mia indicates she's ready to surrender. - Come to us. - What's up? - It's your head, where I could see you. - Get out of the way. - Come to me, come to me, come to me. - Get your head on your knees. Get out on your knees. Put your hands on the ground in front of you. - Yeah? - Yes. Slide your body back until you're laying on your face. Slide your legs back until you're laying down. Stick your arms out by your sides. Keep going. Turn your palms up. Do not move. - While Mia is handcuffed and taken into custody, - It's on to a tie, right? - An officer recovers her gun nearby. - I'm back here taking pictures of the gun. - It's a nine millimeter. The same gun police believe Mia used to kill her parents. Mia is given water. - It's a little bit rough. - Then she's placed into an ambulance and taken to a hospital for medical evaluation. Police locate her car in an empty lot nearby and impound it. Later that day, Mia is transported from the hospital to the Washington City Police Department. - Get your knees as close to here as you can. That's probably going to be the most comfortable. Thank you. - Detectives read Mia her rights. - Are you okay to talk to me? - Yes. - And then try to piece together what set off her deadly rampage. - I have talked to a lot of people. But I'm not so much curious as far as what happened. But I'm kind of curious of what went up to it. - Let's see. Being homeless after my family has been several times. Being 20 grand dead. - You said you were homeless. But how long have you been homeless? - Well, let's see. I'm going down. Fifth. - So. - The fifth of. - This neck last month. - Oh, so May? - May? - Yeah. - One of those dates, I'm sorry. - Oh, you're good. - Fifth of May or June? - I think it was June for the most part. But again, homeless. - Where have you been living? - Well, the state was my cousins for five days. I paid them $250 because I don't want to be a bum. - Yeah. - And, well, I'll just say you came to me out. - How long ago were you kicked out? - Yes, yesterday. - Well, yesterday. So May, is that kind of what? - Yeah, I guess you could say it's 11 o'clock in the night. So the day before yesterday. - Okay, so two days. - Two days. - No, from today? - Kind of, yeah. - And so, what was the reason you were kicked out for? - Well, I was kicked out because my cousin was on. - Let me, uh. He asked, "Why are you up so sad?" And I told him, "There's a lot of things." And he had to understand. And, my neighbor wanted to go to me and let her stuff. So, nobody believed me, nobody bothered to investigate. And, the first time, it's happened to somebody like that. And then, you said you were $20,000 in debt. What does that come from? - Well, I come from our allowance. 'Cause my brother just. Let's come from credit cards. - Hmm? - It's expensive to be a single woman. And trans to top of that. So. - Okay. - So, what kind of. I'm in, like I said, I don't know all the ins and outs of it. What kind of expenses do you have doing there? - Well, it's like $512 a month just doing. The trail stops, and that's like getting laser treatments and medication to. Before until I got an auto-dejector. That was $125 a month. So, a lot of stuff adds up. - Oh, yeah. - What type of medication? - Just HRT. You want to know it's specifics. - Okay. - Yeah. - Does that form a replacement? - There. - There. - So being 28 years old now, what. What age did you know that you wanted to transition? - I mean, since I was born, but there really is. I can remember his two. - Did you have. Did your parents know prior to that? - My parents knew. My mom knew for three years since 2019. - Okay. - Delighted you. - Was that a big topic of contention between you and her? - Um, it was a huge topic, but she was more like, "How could I put it?" And I already supported it. She didn't shop, just didn't say anything. And then she's never supported since. And she kept calling me when I made that name and went to other shops. - Mia says she was scheduled to have her long-awaited gender reassignment surgery the following month in July. - So, they have a payment plan, and I had insurance. So, they paid me about half of it, at least. And I was going to do like a payment plan. But my dad was going to help me with a little bit of it, so. - According to Mia, her surgery was all set to go, until her mother put a halt to it. - Right, right up to it was. My got a call from my social worker from the hospital. And. I apparently kind of broke in Hibba, in a way. They shared the details of the hospital, but the worst one was all. It's been mother to contacting them to say no on the surgery. - And, wow. - So, your mother contacted the hospital? - Yep. And so, I know I can probably appeal it with just if that, but she wouldn't just say I was very curious. And I asked her, like, "I don't want to hear it explained, you know, or excuses when you hear, you know, an explanation, and I'm sorry, and I'll do something about it anyway." She can't say sorry to save her life, apparently. And I try to give her so many chances for my life, but that's a side's point. I had one thing going on, and she did that one for me. So, I guess I don't. Can you help me understand? So, with you being your age, how was your mom in control of that? Yes or no? I mean, you're how old? - Almost 30. - 20, yeah. - And you're still getting in your mom? is the one that sang you her name on the surgery that I don't think it was. It was more of like she's trying to sell the college it. She has always had boundary issues that's why I never told her where to live. She said I need to get the details that she just said some stuff to the doctor. You don't have to ask the social worker. She said I don't like the assistant, but the first contact of getting scheduled for surgery. Mia says her mother's interference was the ultimate betrayal. Especially because her parents knew how much the surgery meant to her. I told them I was going to kill myself several times and I needed this so bad. My mental ability was declining and that's why I needed that surgery. I knew I was going down to a yardless, but I was like, well, not enough, taking somebody with me. So when did you, when did you have that decision that enough was enough and that it was going to be the same day? Same day. Yeah, one sheet, or you used to on college advice. So when you walked into that house, was your mom your only target? Your dad just got in the way or were you? No, my dad was part of it, though, until I let her extend. He didn't have it back when I needed it most of it once again. My mom wasn't a target because she betrayed you. She was a target because you betrayed me. So based. And then dad obviously is part of your mom. They're one in one. They're both involved in it, but they're both in it. Because I just wanted to make sure that I clarified as far because that's what was confusing. Your dad was willing to pay for a little bit. Yeah, and then he changed his mind on it because he didn't sell a Chevy either. Well, what's tough about that? Were you able to tell me what happened at your parents' house? I'd got parked there and put the gun to myself to throw away that part of me. You know, the head of the tent, like, always. Right, right in the door, shot out her person, and then he started to make it quick. Dad was instant. Where was your mom when you came in the door? She was, uh, the second chair, a chair closest to the TV, or the white couch, I believe. Is your dad in the same room? No, he walked out what's going on, and my point had gone out of him and just ate it in a shot. Yeah, I'm not twice my dad, and then I went downstairs. My brother said, "You ruined my life." I wasn't so much, so much him. It was directed towards a message about my parents. So was that your, was that your intent? Were you hoping that it would hit you? Not really. I knew I was going to hit him. He barged the door. The stuff, and I just, like, f*** him. He's not my main target. Afterwards, Mia says she went back upstairs. Go back upstairs and do one more round and dad just in case. Make sure he's dead. Before she left, Mia says she realized her mother was still alive. I do remember actually coming up just in case, because she had heard her like bleeding quite a bit, like choking. That's how I went to shoot her again. Uh-huh. So do you remember her upset? Was that after you came back upstairs? Yeah, it was dad first. And then you heard your mom say, "She's still sick." "She's still kind of alive." Yeah, some noise. Or she could still kind of lie. So then? And then I shot her again. What, what did you use to kill your parents? I got him. Is it the same gun that you had when you surrendered to the police? Yeah. If you could go back to yesterday, would you change the outcome with your mom and dad? I don't think there's any way to change their minds. And they'll, if they changed their mind, which I know they're wrong, because they're so narcissistic. I mean, it would be played out completely differently. So their answer was on down. They had their chance. I really wanted to be good. I really didn't do it. But, uh, I guess that was a last resort or a last draw. I don't regret it. I hate them. After her interview, Mia Bailey is held in jail on multiple charges, including two counts of aggravated murder. Despite severe mental health issues in October of 2025, a judge rules Mia is competent to stand trial. But the following month, Mia pleads guilty and mentally ill to two counts of aggravated murder and aggravated assault. At her sentencing, Mia remains silent, but her attorney reads a statement on her behalf. It brings me great pain and regret of the events that followed. I was not in a stable mindset at the time. And if only I had gotten help, this would have been preventable. It makes me want to die because I can't live with myself. I am sincerely, deeply sorry to my family, that I committed this atrocity. I wish I could earn forgiveness in time. But the judge shows her no mercy. Your acts on that day or very chilling. Gravity of the circumstances, again, are there. And as to the sentence today, the sentence should and will be consecutive sentences. Spanely in case 2, 4, 1, 5, 0, 1, 1, 9, 3 to the charge of aggravated murder, a first degree felony or hereby sentence to serve 25 years to life. Count 2, aggravated murder, first degree felony or hereby sentence to serve 25 years to life. Count 3, aggravated assault, a third degree felony or hereby sentence to serve 0 to 5 years. Always at the Utah State Prison to run consecutive 1 with the other. Restitution will remain open. You are hereby remanded to the Department of Corrections to serve this sentence. Good luck to you. Thank you, Robert. Coralbian recess. Thank you. You are not alone. If you need to talk, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available. Simply dial 988. Help is just a phone call away. Imagine setting your makeup, then forgetting it's even theirs. Meet new grippy setting mist from Maybelline, New York. 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