A 26-year-old New Hampshire mother, Julia Byrne, was found dead alongside her three-year-old son, Blake. Both of them had suffered a single gunshot wound to the head, and police believe that Byrne shot Blake first and then turned the gun on herself.
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According to a press release issued by the Office of the Attorney General of the New Hampshire Department of Justice, the incident occurred on Friday, May 9, at around 1 a.m. Pembroke Police Department officers arrived at a Pembroke Hill Road residence after receiving a witness report of having heard two gunshots and encountered two bodies.
Officers met the witness who made the 911 call upon entering the home. Inside a bedroom upstairs, officers found Julia Byrne and her three-year-old son, Blake. Both of them had suffered from gunshot wounds. While Byrne was pronounced dead at the scene, Blake was transported to Concord Hospital. He, however, was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Possible Murder Suicide
An autopsy was conducted by Assistant Chief Medical Examiner Abigail Alexander on both Julia and Blake. It was determined that each had suffered a single gunshot wound to the head. Blake’s manner of death was ruled a homicide, while Julia’s manner of death is pending. However, authorities are investigating the incident as a possible murder suicide.
While talking with the Concord Monitor, Ryan Demers, a Pembroke Hill Road neighbor, revealed that he didn’t see people often entering or exiting the house.
“I don’t know who lived there and I don’t think I ever saw them come out of the house,” Demers said. “As far I knew, they pretty much kept to themselves.”
According to School Board Chair Kerri Dean, school began normally at 8 a.m., hours following the alleged murder suicide. However, parents began picking up their children as the news broke, with Dean saying that people were “on edge.”
Select Board Chair Karen Yeaton called the incident a “tough day” in Pembroke.
“The Select Board is very, very concerned about the family of the victims in the shootings,” Yeaton said. “Our deepest condolences go out to those family members, but at this time we can’t say more than that.”