A 17-year-old has been indicted in the murders of his sister-in-law, Kassandra Sweeney, 25, and his nephews, Benjamin Sweeney, 4, and Mason Sweeney, 23 months old, on Aug. 3, 2022, in their Northfield home.
The Merrimack County Grand Jury has indicted Eric Sweeney on three counts of first-degree murder for purposely causing the deaths of Kassandra, Benjamin, and Mason Sweeney, by shooting them. Eric Sweeney was also indicted on one count of falsifying physical evidence, which alleges that Eric Sweeney, knowing that an investigation was about to be instituted, did alter, destroy, conceal, or remove a Taurus .40 caliber handgun, with the purpose of impairing its availability in said investigation.
The defendant is currently being held, according to a press release from Attorney General John Formella, but his spokesman Michael Garrity wouldn’t say where he is being held or say whether Eric Sweeney has been certified to stand trial as an adult. An arraignment will be scheduled by the court.
On Aug. 11, 2022, the Attorney General’s Office announced that a juvenile had been arrested in connection with the triple homicide the week before.
The 2022 release said: “Since the alleged perpetrator is a juvenile, the law precludes any further information from being released. See RSA 169-B:36, I (“It shall be unlawful for any person to disclose court records or any part thereof to persons other than those persons entitled to access under RSA 169-B:35, except by court order. Any person who knowingly violates this provision shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.”).
On Wednesday, Garrity said: “Due to the sensitive nature and confidentiality proscriptions surrounding alleged juvenile offenders, we cannot speak to any case progression before the indictments became public at this time. What we can say, is that Eric Sweeney has been indicted by the Merrimack County Grand Jury and there is no suspicion or belief that any other person is criminally responsible for the murders of Kassandra Sweeney, and her sons Benjamin and Mason. Again, these charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.”
In a note to news outlets, Garrity said, “The victims’ family via our Office of Victim/Witness Assistance is asking members of the media to respect their privacy at this time.”