Autopsy results for a New Hampshire family found dead in their home on Monday revealed that the mother likely killed her husband and two young children before turning the gun on herself, leaving her three-year-old alive to witness the murders.
On Monday, police discovered Emily Long, 34, Ryan Long, 48, and two of their children, Parker Long, 8, and Ryan Long, 6, dead in their Madbury, NH, home, with an additional three-year-old child uninjured in the residence.
Police investigated the incident as a likely murder-suicide. That assessment was seemingly confirmed on Wednesday after the NH Office of the Chief Medical Examiner conducted autopsies, which suggest that Emily Long murdered her two children and husband before turning the gun on herself.
The autopsy revealed that both children died of single gunshot wounds to the head, while Ryan Long died from multiple gunshot wounds inflicted by his wife, who then killed herself with a single gunshot to the head.
The NH Department of Justice (DOJ) did not explain the potential motive behind the atrocity but stated that they are aware of concerns in the household prior to the murders.
“While investigators are becoming aware of various concerns/issues ongoing in the household at the time of the event in question, people should avoid speculating that this event was caused by a single reason or stressor,” said the NH DOJ.
Multiple outlets reported that, prior to the shooting, Emily Long had operated a TikTok page in which she detailed her mental struggle dealing with her husband’s terminal brain cancer diagnosis, which the family received in May.
She reportedly posted a video in which she detailed her depression and explained that she was using TikTok as a coping mechanism. In her final video, she allegedly promised to change things for the better for her family, which was suffering from the diagnosis.
“I have been struggling so much and really depressed and just have really become reclusive, and just wanted to be with my kids and my husband. That being said, I’m making a change and it is starting today … And I’m making a point to get out of my depression and do this for my family,” she reportedly said in a video two days before the murders.
The Maine Wire was unable to independently verify the information from the TikTok account because it has since been marked as private. Despite the private designation, the account’s profile picture and subscriber details remain visible.
Emily Long’s account had amassed 7,549 subscribers, and over 170,000 likes.
