Additional Coverage:
- New Hampshire mom filmed final video of her sons — 4 minutes later, they were all massacred (themirror.com)
Northfield Man Faces Sentencing in Tragic Triple Murder of Sister-in-Law and Young Nephews
Northfield, NH – A grim chapter in a local family’s history is nearing a critical point as Eric Sweeney, now 19, is set to be sentenced this Friday for the 2022 murders of his sister-in-law, Kassandra Sweeney, 25, and her two young sons, Benjamin, 4, and Mason, 1. Sweeney, who was 16 at the time of the killings, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder charges in August.
Prosecutors are advocating for a minimum of 97 years in prison, seeking consecutive sentences of 35 years to life for Kassandra’s death and 40 years to life for each of the boys. Assistant Attorney General Benthan Durand underscored the gravity of the crimes against the children, stating, “Benjamin and Mason embody the reason why crimes against children deserve the harshest of penal sanctions.
They did absolutely nothing wrong; they were innocent and utterly blameless for what the defendant did. Their murders deserve separate, consecutive sentences.”
The prosecution’s proposal includes the possibility of suspending up to 18 years of the sentence if Sweeney meets specific goals related to education, mental health treatment, and good behavior.
Conversely, Sweeney’s legal team, Lauren Prusiner and Morgan Taggart-Hampton, are expected to argue for a sentence of 40 years to life. In a sentencing memorandum, they implored the court to “grant Eric some measure of mercy,” citing the “immeasurable trauma” Sweeney endured as a child.
This trauma reportedly included a mother who “dragged him through drug dens and a succession of abusive father figures,” leading to a childhood marked by neglect and poverty. His lawyers detailed instances of him asking strangers for food at age six and worrying that Christmas toys would be sold for drug money.
At the time of the murders in August 2022, Sweeney had been living for three years with his older brother’s family in Northfield, approximately 18 miles north of Concord. Prosecutors noted that Sweeney’s brother, Sean, and Kassandra had served as his guardians due to “increasing behavior issues,” which included lying and disobeying house rules, creating tension within the household.
While the defense has not provided an explicit motive for the killings, they stated that Sweeney’s depression had deepened, and “he knew he was on the brink of losing the safest, most moving home he had ever known.”
The tragic events unfolded swiftly. Kassandra Sweeney, a nursing assistant who worked nights to care for her children during the day, had just made the boys a snack.
She recorded a video of them playing to send to her husband. Just four minutes after sending the clip, all three were fatally shot in the head.
Benjamin was reportedly wearing a dinosaur costume at the time of his death.
Sweeney later informed police that he was in the basement when he heard commotion upstairs, including a man with a deep voice yelling and multiple “pops.” He claimed to have gone upstairs, discovered his sister-in-law and nephews bleeding, then took Kassandra’s cellphone and keys before driving away and calling his brother, who subsequently alerted authorities.
Sweeney’s attorneys contend that a life sentence without parole would violate the state’s Constitution for a juvenile offender. They argued that Sweeney loved his family members and would “grapple with the consequences of his actions for the rest of his days.” They expressed hope that “A forty-year minimum sentence would offer Eric hope that someday, he can make a meaningful life outside prison walls, and achieve some measure of redemption for his crimes.”