A 17-year-old in New Hampshire was indicted Wednesday on three counts of first-degree murder for the shooting deaths of his sister-in-law and two young nephews, authorities announced.
A 17-year-old New Hampshire teen was indicted Wednesday on three counts of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of his sister-in-law and her two children, authorities said.
Eric Sweeney, who has been in juvenile custody, was named publicly for the first time Wednesday by New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella, who announced the indictments.
Sweeney will be tried as an adult in the slayings of Kassandra Sweeney, 25, and her sons Benjamin, 4, and Mason, 23 months, according to local reports.
The attorney general's office declined comment when contacted Wednesday by Inside Edition Digital.
A Merrimack County grand jury also indicted Sweeney on one count of falsifying physical evidence. Sweeney allegedly "altered, destroyed, concealed, or removed a Taurus .40-caliber handgun with the purpose of impairing its availability," in the murder investigation, according to the state prosecutor's statement.
Police responding to a 911 call on Aug. 3, 2022 found the victims' bodies inside the family home in Northfield, authorities said. Autopsies later determined all three died from single gunshot wounds.
Sean Sweeney had called police twice just days before the murders, saying he was concerned about his children's safety, according to the New Hampshire Union Leader.
The paper, citing heavily redacted police logs, reported the husband and father said he was bothered by the behavior of someone who was staying at the family home, or was a frequent visitor.
Police came to the home and spoke with the father, according to the report.
Eric Sweeney was arrested shortly after the slayings, but was not identified because he was a juvenile, authorities said.
His arraignment on Wednesday's murder indictments "will be scheduled by the court," according to the attorney general's statement.
Related Stories
