A tragic murder-suicide on August 25 took five lives at a home on Long Island, New York.
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House leads to suburban murder and suicide
A Long Island man killed his three siblings and a niece before taking his own life outside the family home.
PEOPLE reports that the family was about to meet with a real estate agent to sell the house when the incident occurred.
News week reveals that Joseph DeLucia Jr. struggled with the loss of his longtime home after his mother’s death.
PEOPLE says Joseph fired 12 shots from a shotgun, hitting his family members four times as they waited for the realtor. In a statement, the Nassau County Police Medic pronounced all five victims dead at the scene.
NBC News reports that DeLucia shot his siblings — Joanne Kearns, Frank DeLucia, Tina Hammond and Tina’s daughter, Victoria Hammond, two days after their mother’s funeral.
According to NBC News, Joseph DeLucia Jr. lived with his mother in the Syosset home, while two brothers lived elsewhere.
Joseph’s mother, Theresa DeLucia, died on August 19 at age 95, and her funeral was held on August 23.
During the conference, Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder called it one of the most “horrific” crime scenes he has ever seen.
Capt. Stephen Fitzpatrick told PEOPLE that DeLucia felt distressed over his mother’s death and the sale of his Syosset home.
“Joseph Jr.’s perception was that he was being cut out of the will and would be displaced with nowhere to go,” Fitzpatrick explained.
Officers found DeLucia on the front lawn after responding to reports of gunshots at the Wyoming Avenue home, Fitzpatrick said.
“He then grabbed the gun, went out onto the front lawn, was yelling indiscriminately about what happened. A neighbor heard him doing this and called 911, and that was the person who called 911. He then shot himself in the chest and killed himself,” Fitzpatrick said.
PEOPLE also reveals that Joseph legally owned the shotgun. Carrying it would have been illegal if he were not mentally stable.
Surviving family members told police that Joseph DeLucia would never be cut out of the will, according to NBC New York. Plus, he would have to move when the sale was finalized.
More details about Joseph DeLucia
In 2022, police visited Long Island, New York to check on Joseph’s well-being.
Authorities said that during the visit, Joseph DeLucia showed no signs of being a danger to himself or others. However, PEOPLE claims that Joseph was never involuntarily hospitalized for psychiatric evaluation.
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What do you think, roommates?