'Obsessed' Man Asked Tenant to Marry Him — Then Killed Her Mom and 2-Month-Old Daughter By Samira Asma-Sadeque

An Utah man has been sentenced to life behind bars 10 years after killing a 63-year-old grandmother, her infant grandchild and a friend of the family.

Heike Poike and her 2-month-old granddaughter Lyrik Poike were found slain alongside Dakota Smith in a Salt Lake City, Utah residence in September 2015.

Alexander Hung Tran was immediately identified as a suspect. On Aug. 23, he was convicted in their murders, the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office said a statement at the time.

On Nov. 7, Tran was handed three life sentences without the possibility of parole, the DA’s office said in an update.

The investigation began on Sep. 18, 2015, when Salt Lake law enforcement officials responded to the residence after Heike failed to pick up her grandson from school, per the DA’s office.

Police found the bodies of Heike, Lyrik and Smith inside the house, while Tran was found in the basement.

The investigation revealed Tran had let Heike’s daughter, identified only as A.P., stay in the residence with her two children. Heike joined to help her with the children while she worked.

While A.P. resided in the home, Tran reportedly developed an “obsession” with her, per investigators. He told her he wanted to get married and have a child together.

A.P. reportedly responded, but only out of obligation because he had let her stay with him. It wasn’t clear what she wrote in her responses.

Tran’s mother did not approve of the tenants living in the residence, which she had bought for him, she told police. She told her son she would be starting an eviction process for A.P. and her family. She has not been identified as a relevant party to the investigation.

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In online obituaries posted following their killings, Heike, Lyrik and Smith were remembered fondly by friends and family.

“Dakota had a heart of gold, always willing to help anyone in need,” read part of Smith’s online obituary. “He faced many challenges in life but always wanted to do the right thing and make his Dad proud.”

“During her short life she touched so many and had an infectious smile,” Lyrik’s loved ones said in he obituary, adding that she was her mother’s “little princess.”

Heike was remembered for being a proud mother and grandmother who “loved to post pictures and share their accomplishments.”

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.