Teen who was only survivor of parents' murder-suicide dies suddenly aged 19
Gerrard Kaonga
Featured Image Credit: GoFundMe
A teenager who survived the murder-suicide of his immediate family last year has died at the age of 19, according to a GoFundMe page.
In December 2024, police confirmed that there was only one survivor of a murder-suicide in West Valley City, Utah.
Authorities confirmed that a family member came into the West Valley City home and discovered the then 17-year-old Sha Reh suffering from a gunshot wound inside the home.
Police later found five other family members deceased inside the property.
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They were identified as Sha’s mother, Bu Meh, 38, and his siblings — sisters Kristina Ree, 8, and Nyay Meh, 2, and brother Boe Reh, 11.
Police stated that they believed Sha’s father, Dae Reh, 42, killed his wife and children before taking his own life.
Sha was shot in the head and would eventually lose his vision as a result, but otherwise recovered.
However, family members have now confirmed that the 19-year-old has tragically died.
In a GoFundMe set up for the funeral costs, his extended family released a statement, confirming his death.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Sha Reh. He passed away unexpectedly in the home of his aunt and uncle on Sunday, January 11, 2026," it read.
“Sha Reh lost his mother, father, two sisters, and brother in a tragic event that was widely reported in the news media in December of 2024. Sha Reh was also a victim of the shooting but miraculously survived his parents and siblings.
“Despite losing his vision in both eyes, and over the course of the past 13 months, Sha Reh overcame numerous obstacles on his pathway to healing.
"He successfully enrolled in the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind in January of 2025, where he learned to communicate in Braille and live independently.”
His family went on to thank the Salt Lake County officials and the first responders who attended the murder of Sha’s family.
In May of last year, Sha spoke about how he kept a positive outlook despite losing his vision and having to learn braille.
Speaking to KSL, he compared learning braille to learning English when his family moved from Myanmar to the US. Sha, who was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also said his faith helped him stay positive.
He said: “I strive to do good things in this world. I am very grateful and blessed to have this opportunity to be happy."