Two adults and two children have been found dead in New Hampshire in what investigators are say may have been a murder suicide – though a toddler was left unharmed.
All four victims were members of the same family and were found at a residence in Madbury, according to Attorney General John M. Formella and other state authorities.
According to authorities, reports of the “suspicious deaths” came in at around 8.20 p.m. Monday night from two 911 callers. Authorities found a male and a female dead, as well as a young boy and a girl.
The toddler was also found at the residence but was unharmed, authorities added Tuesday morning. The child is now safe and with other relatives.
“Each of the deceased family members appears to have suffered gunshot wounds, and were pronounced dead at the scene,” New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella’s office said, in a joint statement with multiple law enforcement agencies.
“At this time, detectives are investigating this event as a potential murder/suicide.“
Residents were advised Monday night that they should expect an active police presence, though Formella later announced that there was no known threat to the general public.
New Hampshire Assistant Attorney General Ben Agati, later said that the priority for investigators was finding the motive behind the deaths.
“Right now I think investigators have more questions than they have answers and one of the biggest questions they have now is motive,” he said, speaking to WMUR.
“And I think that’s one of the more difficult things to grasp, how this came to be. To be able to be more definitive, to understand what the sequence of events was inside that house.”
Authorities were expecting to release the identities of the deceased family members later Tuesday, once next of kin notifications are complete, the statement said.
The Independent has reached out to the New Hampshire DA’s office for updates in the case.
