In August 2025, in the small, quiet community of Madbury, New Hampshire, police made a horrifying discovery. Authorities arrived at a private residence around 6:00 PM after receiving an emergency call reporting multiple individuals who had perished inside the home.

Upon entering, investigators found the bodies of Emily Long (34), her husband Ryan Long (48), and their two young sons, Parker (8) and Ryan Jr. (6). According to initial reports, each victim sustained at least one projectile wound.

The police also found the couple’s third child, a three-year-old toddler, who was fortunately alive and physically unharmed. The child had remained alone in the house near the bodies for an estimated 12 to 15 hours.

Despite spending almost an entire day unsupervised, the child was found in good condition. The bodies were discovered in different areas of the home. Emily was found with a single projectile wound, and a projectile weapon was located beside her.

Based on the scene’s arrangement and the weapon’s position, investigators immediately formed a preliminary theory within the first few hours: Emily had caused the loss of life of her family before inflicting self-harm. The official statement from authorities noted the deliberate, calculated nature of the incident. After processing the scene, the bodies were sent for forensic analysis.

The following day, the autopsy results were released. Ryan Long (48) had sustained multiple projectile wounds to his upper body, classifying his passing as a homicide. His sons, Parker and Ryan Jr., both perished from single projectile wounds to the he@d at close range, classifying their loss as deliberate acts of violence.

The Chilling Conclusion and The Family Profile

Emily sustained a single projectile wound. The weapon found beside her was the same caliber used in all the shootings. Forensic experts concluded she died from self-inflicted injuries after committing the criminal acts.

The official statement from the New Hampshire Attorney’s General Office asserted that, at that stage of the investigation, no evidence of outside involvement was found. The theory that Emily caused the loss of life of the three family members before inflicting self-harm was the primary and most substantiated narrative.

Investigators noted the difference in wounds: Ryan, the husband, had multiple projectile wounds, while the children each had only one. Based on the forensic evidence, the crime was deemed intentional, planned, and executed by a single individual. There was no evidence to suggest altering the current investigative theory.

Official reports and public data revealed the family’s background before the tragedy. Ryan Long was a school psychologist at Oyster River Middle School. Colleagues described him as quiet, meticulous, and dedicated, often leading student counseling programs. Emily Long (34) worked at the local Wing Eats Restaurant Chain, listed as an active, punctual, and polite employee. The couple resided together in Madbury.

Based on public social media posts, Emily was active in sharing family life—photos of the children, outings, and celebrations—projecting an image of a typical life.

The family was not registered for social services; their combined income placed them at a standard middle-class level in Madbury. Ryan’s employment provided stability and health insurance. Emily, though working part-time, focused on home life and often shared the daily challenges of raising her children online.

The Hidden Crisis: Illness and Emotional Strain

Ryan was described by colleagues as responsible and calm, with no history of poor behavior or emotional stress. His involvement in youth support programs was well-received. Emily, conversely, was described by restaurant co-workers as friendly but emotionally volatile.

Colleagues noted she had become quieter in recent months, often avoiding group activities and personal discussions, preferring to focus solely on work. In one of her TikTok posts, Emily herself openly stated that she was experiencing severe emotional fatigue and struggling with depression.

This information highlighted a critical contrast between the family’s stable public image and the subsequent horrific events. Official reports confirmed that Ryan Long was diagnosed with glioblastoma in 2023.

This aggressive, rapidly progressing form of brain cancer is known for its poor prognosis, with typical survival ranging from 12 to 15 months, even with treatment. Ryan continued to work after his diagnosis, deliberately avoiding discussing his illness, though signs of fatigue, headaches, and difficulty concentrating eventually became noticeable.

The family learned about his severe illness only as it advanced. Emily responded by posting regularly on TikTok, sharing her emotional struggle, her fear of losing her husband, her concerns for the future, and the immense uncertainty.

Due to the rapid progression of the illness, Ryan’s ability to participate in daily family life became severely limited. Emily, based on her online posts, shouldered most of the household duties and the intense emotional burden. She openly discussed the toll on her mental health, including depression and social withdrawal.

The Digital Diary and The Unfulfilled Promise

Emily’s TikTok account became a virtual diary, sharing her raw, personal emotions, her fear of loss, and her feeling of losing control over the future. A central theme was the emotional struggle of living with a husband who was slowly losing his strength and time.

She openly admitted that every day felt like an emotional struggle. In a video posted shortly before the incident, she expressed deep fear about raising her children alone, admitting the thought of being a single parent was terrifying.

However, she rarely mentioned the direct impact of the illness on Parker, Ryan Jr., or the youngest child, leading some viewers to criticize her focus as self-centered. This observation—that she focused on her fear of loss rather than the children’s reliance on her—was noted by commenters as a potential indicator of a distorted perception of the situation. Her videos garnered mixed reactions; some described her appearance as emotionally distant, exhausted, and lifeless, while others speculated that her posts might have been planned or rehearsed.

After the tragedy, Emily’s TikTok account was inaccessible, though many of her videos had been downloaded and re-posted, widely circulating on platforms like Reddit and TikTok. These re-posted videos, along with accompanying analyses, served as the public’s primary source for judging her mental state in the weeks leading up to the loss of life.

The police did not release official statements regarding the content of the videos, but it was clear they profoundly influenced the public narrative. Social media users formed self-styled theories based on this digital diary, suggesting a complex motive rooted in severe mental health distress amplified by her husband’s terminal illness.

The Final Digital Message and The Sole Witness

Months before the incident, the Long family home showed signs of mounting strain. Emily began to isolate herself, canceling engagements and reducing her circle of friends. She openly stated the immense emotional weight she carried and her feeling of losing control.

In one of her final posts, she mentioned their youngest child, noting signs of anxiety and distress, which affected his sleep and behavior. Despite these clear warning signs, she only vaguely mentioned seeking professional help, citing that she felt she was “too young for therapy.”

Shortly before the tragedy, Emily posted a video announcing a massive life change—a plan to re-engage with the world, socialize, and create a more normal environment for her children. She looked well-groomed and ready for a fresh start. This plan, however, was never realized, leading to speculation: Was this sudden display of vigor a genuine step toward recovery, or a final attempt to project normalcy?

The final events seemed to be the culmination of several heavy factors: Emily’s growing isolation, emotional fatigue, intensifying concern for her youngest child’s state, and unfulfilled promises of change.

Hours after the tragedy, a disturbing, scheduled message appeared on Emily’s social media: “Remember us this way, 19 years from the first kiss to the last. Now the finale, the score is 0-0, but we were happy. We held onto the love.” The post, which included family portraits, was quickly screenshotted before the account was deactivated.

Experts viewed the post as a digital suicide note, suggesting premeditation. The “0-0” score was interpreted as symbolic—a final draw, with no winners or losers, possibly reflecting a sense of futility.

Though the Attorney General warned against speculation, the post became a key digital footprint in the investigation, signaling a life following a script that may have been written and uploaded before the horrific events.

The focus now shifts to the sole survivor: the three-year-old child. Found physically unharmed, the fact that the toddler remained near the bodies for hours raised immense concern for his emotional well-being.

An investigator’s confidential report indicated the child was immediately placed with close relatives for temporary care. The long-term psychological recovery and guardianship of the youngest Long child became a private matter managed by legal and mental health professionals, concluding the official criminal investigation due to the passing of the sole perpetrator.