A judge sentenced a troubled teenager to six decades behind bars for one of New Hampshire's most shocking family murders.

Eric Sweeney, 19, received a sentence of 60 years to life in prison at a Concord courthouse Friday after admitting to the 2022 killings of his 25-year-old sister-in-law and her two young sons. The New York Post reports that Sweeney pleaded guilty to second-degree murder charges in the deaths.

Sweeney was just 16 years old when he walked into the family kitchen of their Northfield home with a handgun and shot Kassandra Sweeney and her sons, 4-year-old Benjamin and 23-month-old Mason. He was living under the guardianship of his older brother Sean and Kassandra at the time of the murders.

Brutal Details of the August 2022 Killings

The youngest victim, Benjamin, was shot in the head while wearing a dinosaur costume hood. Just minutes before the attack, Kassandra had been filming videos of her boys talking about their love for each other and texting the clips to her husband with the message "I hope they make you laugh."

Kassandra worked night shifts as a nursing assistant to care for her children during the day. After shooting the family, Sweeney fled the scene and called his brother, falsely claiming that an intruder had broken into the home and attacked them.

Prosecutors noted that no clear motive was provided for the killings. However, Sweeney had been experiencing severe depression in the months leading up to the murders, prompting his brother and sister-in-law to fear for their safety and request his removal from their guardianship.

Defense Argues Traumatic Childhood Shaped Actions

Sweeney's defense attorneys claimed he had no memory of committing the murders. They argued that his "broken brain" developed as a defense mechanism resulting from the "immeasurable trauma" he endured as a child.

The defense presented evidence that Sweeney's mother had dragged him through drug dens and exposed him to a succession of abusive father figures throughout his youth. By age 6, he was reportedly begging on the streets for food, wearing shoes with soles falling apart, and worrying that any Christmas toys from Toys for Tots would be sold for drug money.

Defense attorney Lauren Prusiner asked the court to "embrace compassion so everyone in this courtroom can move forward with healing." She raised the possibility that Sweeney may have intended to kill himself before panicking and turning the gun on his family instead.

Victim Impact Statements Reject Compassion Plea

Family members and friends delivered emotional victim impact statements rejecting calls for leniency. Peg Sweeney, who had considered herself the killer's grandmother as much as the victims', told him to "rot in hell" and erase "Gram" from his vocabulary.

Some speakers expressed hope that Sweeney would face attacks from fellow inmates during his incarceration. The raw emotion in the courtroom underscored the devastating impact of the murders on the community and the extended family.

Prosecutors had requested a 97-year sentence for the crimes. Judge John Kissinger ultimately chose a term that he said balanced the severity of Sweeney's actions with the grim circumstances of his troubled upbringing.

Lessons to Learn

1. Take warnings seriously when people show warning signs: Kassandra and Sean Sweeney had grown increasingly worried about Eric’s behavior and even sought his removal from their home. When someone expresses fear for their safety, those concerns must be addressed seriously and quickly.

2. Mental health support can be life-saving, especially for trauma victims: Eric Sweeney reportedly suffered extreme childhood trauma and depression. Ensuring timely, effective intervention in the lives of at-risk young people can prevent tragedies down the line. However, support systems often fail those who need them most.

3. Maintain awareness in domestic settings: Most violent crimes are committed by someone the victim knows. Preventative measures can reduce risk, but sadly, no one can fully prevent unexpected violence from a trusted person. Victims are never to blame for the actions of their assailants.

Why This Story Matters

This case underscores the often-overlooked complexities of juvenile offenders and the long-term impact of childhood trauma. It also highlights how deeply domestic violence affects families when it comes from within the home. The tragic loss of two young lives and their mother reverberates through the Northfield community and beyond.

Conclusion

Eric Sweeney, now 19, has been sentenced to 60 years to life in prison for the second-degree murder of his sister-in-law, Kassandra Sweeney, and her two young sons, Benjamin and Mason. Sweeney committed the act at age 16 while living under their guardianship in Northfield, New Hampshire. Initially trying to cover up the crime, he later accepted responsibility amid arguments from his defense, citing severe childhood trauma and mental illness. The judge’s sentence balanced accountability with a faint hope for redemption, but the victims’ family members made clear that no punishment could undo the pain they now live with.