Michele Kristen Anderson was born in 1978 in Washington State, USA. She was the youngest child of Wayne and Judy Anderson and had an older brother, Scott. Details about her early life are limited, but it is known that she lived with her parents on their rural property near Carnation, Washington. At the time of the murders, Michele was unemployed and in a relationship with Joseph Thomas McEnroe.

On December 24, 2007, Michele Anderson and her boyfriend, Joseph McEnroe, armed themselves and drove to the home of her parents, Wayne and Judy Anderson, near Carnation, Washington. Upon arrival, McEnroe distracted Judy while Michele attempted to shoot her father. When her gun jammed, McEnroe shot and killed Wayne, followed by Judy. They then dragged the bodies outside, cleaned the home, and awaited the arrival of Michele's brother, Scott, his wife Erica, and their two children, Olivia (5) and Nathan (3). Upon their arrival, Michele shot Scott multiple times, killing him. Erica was shot and managed to call 911, but McEnroe took the phone, removed the batteries, and smashed it. He then fatally shot Erica. At Michele's insistence to eliminate witnesses, McEnroe also shot and killed the two children. ​

The bodies were discovered two days later when Judy's coworker, Linda Thiele, visited the home after Judy failed to show up for work. Thiele saw bodies through a window and called 911. While detectives were on the scene, Michele and McEnroe arrived and were taken in for questioning. Both confessed to the murders and were arrested. ​

The motive was reported to be financial disputes; Michele believed her brother owed her money and felt mistreated by her family. In March 2016, Michele Anderson was found guilty of six counts of aggravated first-degree murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. McEnroe was also convicted and received a life sentence in 2015.