It Happened Again — Murder In Small Town Utah!

Earlier this year, Utah made national headlines when a man murdered his whole family, including his mother-in-law, in little Enoch City.

The town has less than 10,000 residents and the family (Tausha Haight, 40; Tausha Haight's mother, Gail Earl, 78; Haight's three daughters, Macie, 17; Briley, 12; and Sienna, 7; and two sons, Ammon, 7; and Gavin, 4) was executed by the patriarch of the home, Michael Haight.

It was a staggering revelation that rocked the region and had many people scratching their heads with questions like "Why?" and "How could he?" and "Not here? Not in my hometown?"

Unfortunately, even the heinous crime of murder has crept into life in our beloved Utah. The only (albeit small) comfort we could take from the shocking event was that the murderer took his own life, too.

Yesterday, murder happened again in our state. In a small town. And the confessed murderer doesn't seem to feel any remorse.

Late last night, 40-year-old Dallas W. Martineau went to his brother-in-law's house in West Haven, a small town (about 11,000 residents) west of Ogden, waited in the backyard with a loaded gun for what police say was several hours, then shot and murdered the 50-year-old just after he exited the back door at about 11 p.m.

Police haven't released the name of the victim, but the circumstances are troubling. Reportedly, the confessed killer said he listened in on the conversations going on in the house for quite some time before eventually committing the deadly crime.

Police also say Martineau planned the entire event and drove from his home in Roy to the West Haven residence(an approximate 15-minute drive) for the expressed intent to commit the murder.

More will come out in the coming days about motive and any extenuating circumstances, but it's clear that murder in Small Town Utah has become way too common.

Murder is not the option, never the option, no matter the circumstances. It should still shock us when it happens.

Life is precious. Teach that to our children.