Authorities Probe Apparent Murder-Suicide in Madbury That Left Four Family Members Dead
Investigators say autopsies scheduled for Wednesday may provide more clarity in the deaths of a couple and two of their children, who were found shot inside their Madbury home Monday evening in what authorities describe as an apparent murder-suicide.
New Hampshire State Police responded to the residence around 8:21 p.m. Monday after a 911 call. Inside, troopers discovered Ryan Long, 48, his wife Emily Long, 34, and their children Parker, 8, and Ryan, 6, all dead from gunshot wounds.
A third child, a toddler, was found alive and unharmed. The child is now safe and in protective care, officials confirmed.
Authorities stated that there is currently no ongoing threat to the public, although the investigation remains active.
Possible Health Struggles
At a Tuesday press conference, New Hampshire Assistant Attorney General officials acknowledged receiving information from multiple sources that Ryan Long had been battling brain cancer. However, they stressed investigators are “not jumping to conclusions” and will wait for autopsy results before making determinations about the sequence of events.
Community Ties
Ryan Long was employed as a school psychologist at Oyster River Middle School in Durham, where he had worked for the past nine years, according to an online résumé. District officials have not yet issued a statement.
Emily Long, 34, had until recently been employed with the Wing-Itz restaurant chain. Her LinkedIn profile listed her as currently “open to work.”
The family lived on a quiet rural road in Madbury. On Tuesday, the home remained cordoned off with police tape, as investigators came and went and helicopters circled overhead.
Next Steps
Autopsies are scheduled for Wednesday on all four victims, which authorities say will help establish the cause and manner of death and provide more insight into the tragedy.
The deaths have stunned the small Seacoast community and raised questions about what led to the violence that ended the lives of a young family.
