A Minnesota man killed his wife, ex-partner, and two sons in a horrific murder-suicide that has shattered a tight-knit community.
Forty-six-year-old Anthony Nephew was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside his home in Duluth, Minnesota, on the afternoon of November 7.
Reportedly, for three years before this incident, he often spoke about the mental health crisis in the United States, warning that mental breakdowns could lead to suicide or homicide followed by suicide. His wife, 45-year-old Kathryn Nephew, and their 7-year-old son, Oliver, were also found dead from gunshot wounds in their home with Anthony.
Earlier, before their bodies were discovered, police made a grim finding at the home of Anthony’s ex, Erin Abramson, who lived less than a mile away. Responding to a welfare call at 2 p.m., police found Erin and her 15-year-old son, Jacob Nephew, both deceased from multiple gunshot wounds.
Anthony had children with both women, one child with each, and killed both women and both sons he had with them.
They were said to seem like a close, blended family. Katherine often shared social media posts about Erin, describing her as her son’s brother’s mom and calling her the best baker, sharing pictures of Erin’s baked goods and videos of her son, Oliver, asking for them. Katherine also spoke warmly about her husband, describing him as “elite” on Father’s Day, and the couple had just celebrated their 10th anniversary.
Last month, however, Anthony reportedly started displaying paranoid behavior, discussing conspiracies, aliens, and harnessing the galaxy’s power on social media. He had posted, “Life is just a fantasy of your own construction drawn from the lattice of your experimental reality.” He also expressed concern about the possibility of Trump becoming president, oddly committing the murders two days after Trump was elected. In July, he stated that his mental health and the world could no longer coexist peacefully, partly due to religion. He said he feared religious zealots imposing beliefs on him or his family and shared intrusive thoughts of being “burned at the stake” or “crucified on a burning cross.” He expressed anxiety about people viewing him or his son as “Satan or the Antichrist.”
Furthermore, he accused Republicans of making it harder for women to leave domestic violence relationships.
In 2022, Anthony had spoken openly about his mental health struggles, identifying as a suicide survivor and discussing the importance of mental health care. He criticized the stigma around mental health in the country, saying it was ignored and treated as a burden with little help and less understanding. Police stated there is no ongoing threat to the community, but this tragedy is absolutely heartbreaking for everyone involved.
