Shot dead while their kids slept
A couple were woken with a gun in their faces…
Tony and Katherine Butterfield were the epitome of unconditional love. They were devoted to each other and their children, dedicated to their religious faith – and committed to working hard for their family.
They even made sure there were plenty of smiles along the way.
Tony, 31, and Katherine, 30, were a shining example of making the most of every day, and people aspired to the life they’d carved for themselves.
The devout Mormon couple lived in a suburban home in West Jordan, Utah, with their three children aged four, two and six months.
They had both served on Latter-day Saints (LDS) missions, where they were assigned to spread the word of their faith, and shortly after they returned, they’d married and started their family together.
The couple had a successful garden landscaping business, and renovated property.
Tony was an expert craftsman and Katherine helped run the company.
Tony had earned the nickname ‘T-money’ because he was always working hard and saving money to support his family.
He’d already got his children doing chores for money to teach them good values.
But it wasn’t all about work for Tony.
He knew how to have fun and was known for his goofy ways and was rarely heard to ever raise his voice.
Katherine also brought happiness wherever she went.
With her bright blue eyes, and huge smile, she would dance, sing and made sure her children were always busy making memories.
The couple were famous for hosting events from games nights to Halloween parties. Tony and Katherine were successful, but it wasn’t about the money for them.
They were driven by wanting the best for their family and security for their future. But on the night of 17 April, when Albert Enoch Johnson, 31, was driving towards the Butterfield’s home, all he cared about was their wealth. Albert, 31, lived just under two miles away from the couple.
He knew the Butterfield’s from trying to get work with their business, as he knew others who did. Albert needed money and with a gun by his side, and a previous conviction for burglary, he was going to demand some.
Tony and Katherine were asleep in bed when Albert kicked down their front door, wearing a mask.
He confronted the couple with his gun.
Home surveillance cameras captured Albert forcing Tony and Katherine out of their beds and marching them downstairs in their pyjamas, while their three children were sleeping in their rooms.
Pointing the gun at Tony, Albert told him that he ‘just wanted money.’
But the terrified couple explained that they didn’t have cash in the house and found all they could.
Albert was given $20 and two mobile phones and left, leaving Tony and Katherine shaken up.
As he escaped, Albert cut through a neighbour’s garden and tossed the phones away.
But when he got back to his car and tore off his mask, he realised that he’d dropped his car keys in the house.
He made the decision to go back to the Butterfield’s house.
When Albert arrived, just after 1am on 18 April, Tony was standing on his doorstep.
Without his mask, Tony recognised Albert as the man who had broken into his home and threatened his family.
‘Why, Albert, why?’ Tony cried at him.
Albert realised the mistake he’d made coming back.
To defend his family, and to
stop Albert coming back into his home, Tony grabbed a knife and attacked Albert, who received a superficial stab wound to the chest.
As they fought, in front of a hysterical Katherine, Albert pulled his gun and shot Tony in the head.
Katherine started screaming and fearful that neighbours would be alerted, Albert shot her too, in the torso.
Albert grabbed his car keys and fled.
The neighbours had heard the gunshots and Katherine’s screams. They called 911. When officers arrived, they found Tony’s body in the backyard and Katherine was found just inside the doorway. Both were dead.
Their children unharmed. Police found a bloody fingerprint on the front door and it was a match for Albert.
They went to arrest him but discovered that he had already fled the scene.
Albert had returned to the home he shared with his wife, Sina, 29 at around 3am.
He’d taken a shower and changed his clothes.
Albert told Sina that he’d hurt someone and that ‘his life was over.’
At first, Sina covered for him, and helped to dispose of some evidence, including bloody clothing in a dumpster and cleaning blood from their home.
Police arrested Sina for withholding ‘the whereabouts of the homicide suspect’ and for falsifying her statement about what happened. With the community in shock from the killing, police held a press conference.
‘We do believe this was a home invasion,’ they said, calling Tony and Katherine innocent victims. ‘He was not a welcome guest.’
The family of the Butterfield’s released a statement describing Tony and Katherine as ‘incredible Christlike, kind, happy and loving parents, children, siblings and friends.’
A donation website was set up to raise money for their orphaned children.
The double murder was one of the worst crimes the area had ever seen.
On 22 April, police received several tip offs and Albert was tracked down to Sacramento, staying with people he knew.
When officers moved in, Albert resisted arrest and sustained injuries as he was taken into custody – shown by his mugshot.
Albert was then extradited back to Utah.
Albert said he’d lashed out when he was stabbed by Tony and had targeted them because he ‘thought they had money.’
He was charged with murder, robbery and firearm.
Three days later, Tony and Katharine were buried and their service live streamed for those who couldn’t attend due to Covid restrictions.
Tony was buried in a dark blue coffin, while Katherine was laid to rest in a pink coffin.
The family said they had no ill will towards the suspect.
‘We invite all to live like Tony and Katherine,’ the mourners were told. ‘Be the light, spread the light.’
In August 2020, Sina Johnson, was sentenced to probation on charges of obstruction of justice after covering for her boyfriend.
Two months later, Albert, 31, took a plea deal to avoid the death penalty.
He pleaded guilty to murdering Tony and Katherine, and guilty to robbing a store in 2019.
His lawyer said Albert was shocked by his own crime.
‘Mr. Johnson was not himself that night,’ they said, adding that Albert had been drinking. ‘He has a hard time believing he has done this.’
There were emotional victim impact statements that shared the pain of Tony and Katherine’s loved ones.
Katherine’s sister Emily said that Albert had ‘torn up a beautiful family.’
While Tony’s mother said that her son and his wife ‘did not deserve to die that night.’
But they spoke of their desire to forgive, as Tony and Katherine would have done.
The judge said that he appreciated Albert’s guilty plea as it had saved the family the distress of a lengthy trial, but insisted the murders of the couple deserved a fitting punishment.
‘These are wounds that will never heal,’ he said.
Albert was given two life sentences without the chance of parole.
It was his greed that drove Albert to kill that night and he extinguished the light of a couple who only ever wanted to shine.
Katherine and Tony were kind people