New Hampshire authorities have determined that a mother killed her husband and two children before taking her own life in a murder-suicide that occurred early Monday morning at a family home in Madbury, New Hampshire.
Emily Long, 34, used a handgun from inside the home to kill her husband Ryan Long, 48, and their two children, eight-year-old Parker Long and six-year-old Ryan Long, before shooting herself on August 18, according to the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office. The deaths were confirmed following autopsies completed on Wednesday.
State police troopers discovered the four bodies at approximately 8:21 p.m. Monday after responding to a 911 call reporting multiple deaths at the family’s residence on Moharimet Drive. A third child, a toddler, was found alive and uninjured in the home and is now in the care of family members.
The autopsy results revealed that both children died from single gunshot wounds to the head. Ryan Long sustained multiple gunshot wounds, while Emily Long died from a single gunshot wound to the head. The children’s deaths were ruled homicides, and Emily Long’s death was classified as suicide.
Ryan Long worked as a school psychologist in the Oyster River Cooperative School District, which serves the communities of Durham, Lee and Madbury. Emily Long worked as a director of operations for a local restaurant, according to her professional profile.
In the days leading up to the tragedy, Emily Long had been documenting her family’s struggles on social media, particularly regarding her husband’s recent brain cancer diagnosis. On her TikTok account, which has since been made private, she described herself as a “Brain Cancer Wife” and indicated the platform served as her “digital diary.” According to posts on the platform, Ryan Long had been diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, in April 2024.
Emily Long regularly shared videos about the challenges of caring for her terminally ill husband and the impact his condition was having on their children. In her posts, she discussed Ryan’s seizures, increased irritability, and the family’s struggle to find effective treatment options. She also spoke about her own battle with depression and concerns about how her husband’s illness was affecting their children.
In what would be her final social media post on Saturday, August 17, Emily Long discussed her efforts to overcome depression. “I’m getting out of this depression whether I want to or not,” she stated in the video. She expressed determination to create normalcy for her children and mentioned plans to visit neighbors that evening.
The tragedy has deeply affected the local community in Madbury, a small town of fewer than 2,000 residents located about an hour and a half north of Boston. Neighbors described the Longs as appearing to be a perfect family and expressed shock at the news. The family had lived on Moharimet Drive since 2020, in a residential area known for its friendly atmosphere where children often played together.
Dr. Robert Shaps, superintendent of the Oyster River Cooperative School District, released a statement expressing the community’s grief over the loss. The district indicated it has partnered with local school districts and organizations to provide mental health support for students, staff and their families as they process the tragedy.
Investigators acknowledged they are learning about various concerns and issues that were ongoing in the household at the time of the incident. However, the Attorney General’s Office cautioned against speculating that the tragedy was caused by a single reason or stressor.
Community members have rallied to support the surviving family members, taking care of the family’s two dogs and leaving flowers at the residence. The incident has prompted renewed attention to mental health resources, with officials reminding the public that support is available through the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or the Crisis Text Line by texting “TALK” to 741741.