Police: Mom, 7-Year-Old Son, And Family Dog Killed In Lacey Township Murder-Suicide

A woman and her 7-year-old son were tragically killed in a murder-suicide, according to NBC New York. At around 4 p.m. on Wednesday, officers responded to a home in Lacey Township, New Jersey, on Nautilus Boulevard and discovered the bodies of 48-year-old Kimberly Dunphey, her son Owen Scott, and the family dog, a Welsh Corgi.

Authorities say the suspected perpetrator is Dunphey’s husband, Gregg Scott, 58, who was found critically injured at the scene and was taken to an area hospital where he later died.

Previous reports on the Lacey Township family being shot in their home were erroneous, police say. According to the Ocean County medical examiner’s office, Dunphey and her son died from injuries related to blunt force trauma. However, information on a possible murder weapon has not been released. Scott’s cause of death is unknown, but his fatal injuries are deemed to be self-inflicted. An autopsy is scheduled for late Friday.

It is believed that a marital dispute led Scott to brutally murder his wife, son, and family dog before taking his own life.

Attorney Stephen Leone stated that Scott was a maintenance worker in the Buildings and Grounds Department of the school district, focusing on heating and air-conditioning systems. Leone went on to say that he was well-liked by his co-workers.

A man killed his 7-year-old son, wife and family dog before taking his own life in a quiet NJ town, officials say https://t.co/OgLesMoIZt pic.twitter.com/T2LQPDT1vx

— NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) August 17, 2017

The Ocean County murder-suicide left neighbors in shock as the family has never had any police activity at their home. One neighbor, Isabella Carey, stated that she spoke with Scott before the murders, and she felt “awkward” during their conversation. Apparently, Carey and Scott’s chats were always brief, but on that particular day, it seemed as though he didn’t want it to end.

Carey said she made several polite attempts to return to her home as Scott appeared to be “zoning out” throughout their conversation and “there was nothing really left to say.” She added that she would often see Scott outside with his son, but she rarely saw his wife.

A GoFundMe page has been created, and the family is hoping to raise $20K in donations to help pay for the victim’s funeral expenses.

In a news release on Thursday, Della Fave, a spokesperson for the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, stated as follows:

“At this time, the investigation is in its preliminary stages. The one thing we can state definitively is that this event is over, contained, and presents absolutely no danger to the surrounding community.”

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Major Crimes Unit, Lacey Township Police Department, Ocean County Sherriff’s Department CSI Unit, and the county medical examiner’s office are all said to be investigating the Lacey Township murder-suicide, and they are working diligently to confirm that no one else was involved.

Officials are asking the public to respect the family’s privacy during this time of tragedy.

[Featured Image by Pamela J Disette/GoFundMe]