Five people were found dead on Sunday, August 25, 2024, in what police described as an apparent murder-suicide at a home on Wyoming Court in Syosset, Long Island, New York. The family had gathered to discuss the sale of the house after the recent death of their 95-year-old matriarch, Theresa Martha DeLucia.
Nassau County police arrived at the scene around noon after neighbors reported hearing gunshots. First responders discovered the body of a man on the front lawn, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Inside the home, officers found four additional bodies, all victims of gunshot wounds.
The victims have been identified as siblings Joanne Kearns, age 69; Frank DeLucia, age 64; Tina Hammond, age 64; and her daughter, Victoria Hammond, age 30.
Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said that the incident was being treated as a murder-suicide, confirming that the individual found on the front lawn had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The suspected gunman is believed to be DeLucia’s adult son, Joseph DeLucia Jr., 59, who had lived in the house with her for most of his life. After her death, the family gathered to finalize plans for selling the home, valued at approximately $900,000. Neighbors reported that the son, an auto mechanic, had been deeply distressed by the loss of his mother and the imminent sale. One media source indicates that the son believed he was being cut from the will and felt he would be left homeless after the sale. Detective Stephen Fitzpatrick confirmed with the surviving family members that his belief was incorrect.
Mary Macaluso, a local real estate agent, had been scheduled to meet with the family on the day of the tragedy to discuss selling the property. The family had gathered for the funeral and requested a meeting to discuss the house. One of the siblings, with other relatives visiting from Florida for the service, had arranged the meeting. However, the street had already been closed off when the real estate agent arrived.
Wendy Paisner, who lives across from the crime scene, shared that the gunman, Joseph, had been struggling with mental health issues. His mother’s death appeared to be a trigger, particularly as the family was preparing to sell the home.
Though a tree obstructed her Ring camera’s view of the incident, the audio captured the man’s final moments, which Paisner described as deeply unsettling, with sounds of him wailing, crying, and the gunshot. She handed the footage over to the police.
Paisner recalled visiting the day before to check on Joseph and his brother, who was visiting from out of town. Joseph was visibly sad, and she tried to comfort him, though she noted that he seemed deeply distressed. She surmised that this might have contributed to his final actions.
The Nassau County Police Department has asked anyone with information about the case to come forward as investigators search for answers. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities attempt to determine the circumstances surrounding the fatal shootings.