Joseph DeLucia dies in Syosset murder-suicide
Joseph DeLucia dies in Syosset murder-suicide
Fatal Syosset murder-suicide death of Joseph DeLucia – Obituary
Joseph DeLucia, 59, took the lives of four family members before turning the gun on himself in a tragic incident in Syosset.
On Sunday, DeLucia, fearing homelessness after the recent death of his mother, used a shotgun to kill his two sisters, brother, and niece within their home on Wyoming Court. Following these acts, he ended his own life on the front lawn.
Authorities revealed that DeLucia had killed his siblings—Joanne Kearns, 69, of Tampa, Florida; Frank DeLucia, 64, of Durham, North Carolina; and Tina Hammond, 64, alongside her daughter Victoria Hammond, 30, both of East Patchogue—before committing suicide with the same weapon. Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder described the scene as one of the most horrific in his experience, with the bodies found inside the house and DeLucia on the lawn.
Neighbors reported hearing the gunshots and seeing DeLucia’s disturbing final moments. Peter Behr, a nearby resident, witnessed DeLucia’s emotional breakdown and subsequent suicide, though he did not initially see the weapon.
Nassau County Police Captain Stephen Fitzpatrick indicated that DeLucia was troubled by the impending sale of the family home, which was to be discussed on the day of the shooting. The home had been previously owned by DeLucia’s late mother, Theresa DeLucia, whose recent funeral added to the family’s distress.
Police were aware of past troubling statements from DeLucia but had not determined him to be a threat. The shotgun used was legally owned, and DeLucia had a history of minor legal issues but no recent criminal activity.
In the aftermath, the community is grappling with the shock. Lynda Coumou, a close friend of Kearns, and other neighbors expressed their grief over the loss and the tragic circumstances that led to it.
The scene remains a somber reminder of the devastating effects of mental health struggles and family turmoil.
Joseph DeLucia dies in Syosset murder-suicide Fatal Syosset murder-suicide death of Joseph DeLucia – Obituary Joseph DeLucia, 59, took the lives of four family members before turning the gun on himself in a tragic incident in Syosset. On Sunday, DeLucia, fearing homelessness after the recent death of his mother, used a shotgun to kill…
Joseph DeLucia dies in Syosset murder-suicide Fatal Syosset murder-suicide death of Joseph DeLucia – Obituary Joseph DeLucia, 59, took the lives of four family members before turning the gun on himself in a tragic incident in Syosset. On Sunday, DeLucia, fearing homelessness after the recent death of his mother, used a shotgun to kill…