N.H. 17-year-old indicted on homicide prices in deaths of sister-in-law and two younger nephews

Crime

Kassandra Sweeney, 25, and sons Benjamin, 4, and Mason, 23 months, have been discovered shot to loss of life of their New Hampshire residence final 12 months.

A 17-year-old boy is going through first-degree homicide prices for allegedly killing his sister-in-law and two younger nephews of their Northfield residence final 12 months, New Hampshire officers stated Wednesday.

Eric Sweeney has been indicted in reference to the taking pictures deaths of Kassandra Sweeney, 25, and her sons Benjamin, 4, and Mason, 23 months, Legal professional Basic John M. Formella shared in a information launch. 

Officers responded to a 911 name round 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 3, 2022 and located the mom and two kids useless of their residence, officers beforehand stated. Autopsies later revealed that Kassandra, Benjamin, and Mason Sweeney every died of a single gunshot wound. 

Eric Sweeney was arrested shortly after the triple murder, although investigators didn’t share his identify on the time on account of his age.

The teenager is now going through three counts of first-degree homicide and one depend of falsifying bodily proof. Authorities allege that Sweeney — realizing an investigation was imminent — altered, destroyed, hid, or eliminated a Taurus .40 caliber handgun “with the aim of impairing its availability in stated investigation.”

Formella didn’t establish a motive for the slayings, however the New Hampshire Union Chief reported final 12 months that Kassandra Sweeney’s husband, Sean, instructed police he was involved for his kids’s security simply 12 days earlier than the murders. 

Citing closely redacted police logs, the Union Chief reported that Sean Sweeney had contacted police twice that summer season about issues he was having with somebody who was both residing with the household or who was a frequent customer. In keeping with the information outlet, that individual — whose identify was redacted within the report — spoke with police and promised to alter his conduct. 

In an Aug. 7, 2022 put up on his public Fb web page, Sean Sweeney wrote that his household “shall be eternally cherished and missed and eternally in my coronary heart.” 

Eric Sweeney is in custody, Formella stated. A case abstract accessible by means of the New Hampshire Judicial Department signifies he’s due for arraignment on Nov. 3.