On a somber Friday morning in Concord, New Hampshire, the Merrimack County Superior Court was filled with family, friends, and members of the community as Eric Sweeney, now 19, pleaded guilty to the second-degree murders of his sister-in-law, Kassandra Sweeney, and her two young sons, Benjamin and Mason. The tragic case, which has gripped the small town of Northfield since the summer of 2022, came to a close three years after the fatal shootings that shattered a family and left a community searching for answers.
The events unfolded on August 3, 2022, at the Sweeney family’s home on Wethersfield Drive in Northfield. At the time, Eric was just 16 years old and living under the guardianship of his older brother Sean and Sean’s wife, Kassandra. According to AP and Boston 25 News, Eric fatally shot Kassandra, 25, and her sons, four-year-old Benjamin and 23-month-old Mason, in the early morning hours. Police responded to a 911 call from Sean Sweeney, who had received a disturbing phone call from Eric using Kassandra’s phone. Eric claimed that an intruder had broken into the home and killed everyone.
When officers arrived, they found the bodies of Kassandra and Mason in the dining room and Benjamin in the kitchen. Autopsy results confirmed that each victim died from a single gunshot wound to the head, as reported by New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella and Court TV. The deaths were quickly ruled homicides. Eric was arrested about a week later, and a grand jury indicted him in October 2023 on three counts of first-degree murder and one count of falsifying physical evidence for destroying or concealing the .40 caliber handgun used in the shootings.
In the months leading up to the tragedy, the Sweeney household had been fraught with tension. Prosecutors described Eric’s escalating behavioral issues, which included lying, violating house rules, and unauthorized use of the family vehicle. According to WBZ-TV and NY Daily News, two months before the killings, Eric took his brother’s truck without permission and left a note expressing his feelings of alienation: “I do not belong in this family. All I do is steal and lie and be irresponsible … I love you big bro and sis bye.”
Less than two weeks before the murders, Sean and Kassandra called police to report that Eric was making “strange statements.” Assistant Attorney General Bethany Durand told the court that the situation had deteriorated so much that Sean installed a lock on the master bedroom door to keep Eric out. On July 22, 2022, Sean told police he was concerned about Eric’s comments and had found weapons in the garage and woods. Police spoke with Eric, who reportedly said he would change his behavior.
On the morning of the murders, there was no sign of distress in the Sweeney household. Prosecutors planned to show jurors video clips that Kassandra had recorded on her phone just hours before her death, capturing scenes of ordinary family life. “The family was having a normal morning with the boys, playing and laughing with Kassandra while helping her create a video to send to their dad,” Durand recounted, according to the Concord Monitor. These videos, including one made just 10 minutes before Eric left the house, showed the children playing and exhibiting no signs of fear or the presence of an intruder.
After the shootings, Eric told police he was in the basement when he heard a deep male voice and gunshots. He claimed to have found the victims bleeding before taking Kassandra’s Ford F-150 and driving away without seeking help. Investigators, however, found no evidence of forced entry or a burglary, contradicting Eric’s initial account. It was later determined that Eric had used his brother’s Taurus .40 caliber handgun in the killings and disposed of the firearm on a highway, as detailed by Court TV and NY Daily News.
With the trial for first-degree murder charges looming in September 2025, Eric’s legal team had considered an insanity defense, according to court documents from 2024. Instead, Eric chose to plead guilty to three counts of second-degree murder and to falsifying physical evidence. The plea, described as a “naked plea agreement,” meant there was no deal regarding sentencing. Assistant Attorney General Durand stated in court that no motive for the killings had been revealed.
The courtroom was tense as the details were recounted. Rows of family members and friends, including Savana Hammond, who was close to Kassandra, listened in grief and disbelief. Hammond’s reaction was palpable, her hands trembling as she clutched tissues and her face reddened with emotion every time the names of Benjamin or Mason were mentioned, as reported by the Concord Monitor.
As part of the plea agreement, Eric agreed to have no contact with any members of Kassandra’s family, including his brother Sean, and is also prohibited from having unsolicited contact with members of his own family except for his mother. He is further barred from profiting from any materials or productions related to the case.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 3, 2025, at 9 a.m. at the Merrimack County Superior Court. Eric Sweeney faces up to life in prison for each of the murder charges. In New Hampshire, first-degree murder carries a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole, while second-degree murder is punishable by up to life in prison, but with the possibility of parole at the court’s discretion.
If Eric had not pleaded guilty, a trial would have taken place next month, with several witnesses—including his brother Sean—expected to testify about the events leading up to the tragedy. Prosecutors had prepared to show the jury the videos from Kassandra’s phone, further underscoring the normalcy of the family’s morning before the violence unfolded.
The case has left many in the Northfield community struggling to comprehend how such a tragedy could occur within an ordinary family home. The lack of a clear motive and the details of a seemingly normal morning give the story an especially haunting quality. As the town waits for the sentencing, the pain of the loss remains fresh for those who knew and loved Kassandra, Benjamin, and Mason.
The upcoming sentencing hearing will mark the final chapter in a case that has left a lasting scar on the Sweeney family and the wider community. While the legal proceedings may soon conclude, the memory of the victims and the questions left unanswered will linger for years to come.