Emily Long, Husband Ryan, and Their Children Identified as Victims in Durham Murder-Suicide

Durham, N.H. – Authorities are investigating what they believe to be a murder-suicide that claimed the lives of four members of the Long family, leaving the community in shock and mourning.

Police confirmed that Emily Long, 34, her husband Ryan Long, 48, their 8-year-old son Parker, and their 6-year-old daughter were all found dead inside the family’s home. A third child, a toddler, was discovered alive and unharmed. The surviving child’s name has not been released by the Attorney General’s Office and is now in protective care.

Autopsies for the victims are scheduled to take place Wednesday at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Concord. Investigators have not released additional details about the circumstances leading to the tragedy.

Ryan Long was a well-known school psychologist for the Oyster River Cooperative School District, where he had worked for the past nine years. He also served as an adjunct instructor in Plymouth State University’s Graduate Programs since 2022. Licensed as a school psychologist and a board-certified behavioral analyst, he was remembered by colleagues and students as a dedicated professional deeply committed to children’s mental health and education.

Emily Long, a graduate of the University of New Hampshire’s hospitality management program and a former Oyster River High School student, had recently been pursuing new career opportunities. Friends and family described her as warm, vibrant, and ambitious. Her social media presence highlighted a picture of a happy family, making the tragedy all the more difficult for the community to comprehend.

School officials confirmed they were notified of the incident late Monday but referred further inquiries to the district superintendent. The district community has been left reeling from the loss, with tributes pouring in for the family.

Mental health experts note that murder-suicides often occur in families under severe stress, emphasizing the importance of community support and access to counseling services.

As the investigation continues, neighbors and community members are rallying around the surviving toddler while struggling to come to terms with the devastating loss.