A welfare check led to the discovery of five people dead across two homes in Duluth, Minnesota on November 7, 2024, including two children, ages seven and 15, in what police have determined to be a quadruple murder-suicide.
Officers were dispatched to the home of Erin Abramson, 47, after a concerned coworker called when she failed to show up for work. Upon arriving at her residence on Tacony Street, police discovered Abramson and her 15-year-old son, Jacob Nephew, both dead from gunshot wounds.
Following the initial discovery, police identified Anthony Nephew, 46, as a person of interest and established surveillance at his residence. Upon entry, officers found the bodies of Nephew’s wife, Kathryn Nephew (Ramsland), 45, their seven-year-old son, Oliver Nephew, and Anthony Nephew himself, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The investigation determined that Anthony Nephew killed his family members before taking his own life.
According to Duluth Police Chief Mike Ceynowa, the suspect had a pattern of mental health issues, which had prompted several previous police responses to his home.
Before this tragedy, Nephew frequently posted left-leaning and anti-Trump content on Facebook. In July, he expressed that his mental health could no longer coexist peacefully with the world, blaming much of this strain on religion. He voiced fears of being targeted by religious extremists, feeling as though they might perceive him or his child as representations of evil, even describing intrusive thoughts of being persecuted or burned.
In another post, he criticized Republicans, accusing them of making it harder for women to escape abusive relationships. Nephew alluded to “The Handmaid’s Tale,” referencing the dystopian world depicted in the series where women are oppressed and stripped of their rights.
He shared additional political images, including one with Barack Obama, Trump, Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris. He labeled Trump with the word “hate” while associating the words “hope,” “heal,” and “grow” with the Democratic leaders. Nephew also mentioned his disappointment as an Independent voter, hoping for better candidates from both parties and lamenting what he saw as a binary choice between fascism and its opposition.
Nephew had warned about his mental health struggles in a local newspaper op-ed, stating that breakdowns could lead to suicide or even homicide. He criticized the U.S. mental health system for stigmatizing, ignoring, and leaving individuals to cope alone with little support or understanding, noting that many Americans either deny or conceal their mental health struggles due to societal pressures.
Investigators confirmed that Nephew and Abramson had previously been in a relationship and shared a child, deepening the impact of the tragedy on family and community members.
In response to the deaths, Duluth-area schools have made crisis resources available to students affected by the incident.
The Duluth Police Department is continuing its investigation to establish a comprehensive timeline and determine if any intervention opportunities were overlooked. Chief Ceynowa noted that cell phone data and other records are being used to piece together the events leading up to the incident, although a specific motive has not been released.