Dozens of people gathered outside of a small church in Madbury on Thursday evening to remember the Long family. There were candles, prayers, but few answers for the unimaginable violence that ripped through the family’s home.
Early Monday morning, Emily Long shot and killed her husband, Ryan, as well as two young children. Long then turned the gun on herself, according to autopsy results released by the Attorney General’s office. Later that evening, police found a toddler in the home who was unharmed.
Rev. Catherine Allard, a resident of Madbury who leads the Lee Church Congregational, said community members, including those who may not have known the Long family, are supporting each other.
“We know that there has been a great loss, and that is not just a today sorrow. That will be ongoing,” she said. “And there are some facts that we may never know.”
The killings have gained national attention, in part because of social media posts made by Emily Long in recent months. Long spoke openly about her husband Ryan Long’s diagnosis of an aggressive brain tumor, and the stress his declining health placed on the family.
Ryan Long was a school psychologist at Oyster River Middle School in Durham. Several members of the school district attended the vigil. Both Ryan and Emily Long graduated from the University of New Hampshire, and have deep roots in the area.
“I think we just need to wrap around each other, and check in with each other more often, especially if we notice a friend struggling,” said Sarah Young, a friend of Emily’s from their time at UNH.
Faith leaders including Madbury United Church of Christ interim Pastor Linda Hirst led a brief service, which included a candle lighting ceremony for the Longs.
“We are grieving, for mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers, for a family who is dealing with unimaginable pain,” she told the crowd.
