On August 25, 2024, five people were found dead in a suspected murder-suicide incident in a residence on Wyoming Court, Syosset, on Long Island, New York. The family had congregated to discuss selling the home following the recent passing of their 95-year-old matriarch, Theresa Martha DeLucia, according to local reports.

Nassau County police officers responded to the scene around noon, alerted by neighbors who reported hearing gunshots. The first responders discovered the body of a man on the front lawn, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Four additional bodies, all victims of gunshot wounds, were discovered inside the house.

The victims in the home were identified as siblings Joanne Kearns, 69; Frank DeLucia, 64; Tina Hammond, 64; and her daughter, Victoria Hammond, 30.

Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder confirmed that the incident is being treated as a murder-suicide, and the individual found outside the residence died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The suspected shooter, Joseph DeLucia Jr., 59, son of the deceased matriarch, had resided in the home for most of his life. Following his mother’s death, the family had convened to discuss the sale of the house, worth roughly $900,000. Neighbors reported that the son, who worked as an auto mechanic and had lost his EMT license in 2020, was significantly distressed by his mother’s death and the forthcoming sale. The son reportedly believed he was being excluded from the will and feared homelessness after the sale of the house. Detective Stephen Fitzpatrick confirmed with the remaining family members that this belief was unfounded.

On the day of the tragedy, a local real estate agent, Mary Macaluso, was scheduled to meet with the family to discuss selling the property. The family, some of whom had arrived from Florida for the funeral, had requested the meeting. But when the real estate agent arrived, the street had already been cordoned off.

Wendy Paisner, a resident in a house opposite the crime scene, reported that Joseph had been grappling with mental health issues, and his mother’s death, coupled with the impending sale of the house, seemed to have been a trigger. In 2022 a wellness check had been done on Joseph but no intervention was taken. He was, according to police, a hoarder, with the house filled with tools and items for auto mechanics.

Although a tree blocked her Ring camera’s view of the incident, the audio captured the man’s final moments, including sounds of wailing, crying, and the gunshot. Paisner described these sounds as deeply unsettling and submitted the footage to the police.

The day before the incident, Paisner had visited Joseph and his visiting brother. She noticed that Joseph was visibly distressed and attempted to console him, which might have factored into his ultimate actions.

The Nassau County Police Department is urging anyone with information about the case to come forward as the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal shootings continues.