Five dead in apparent murder-suicide in Syosset, Nassau County police say

On Sunday, five people were found dead in a Syosset home, four inside the Wyoming Court building and one outside. Nassau County police said it appeared to be a murder-suicide.

Police are still in the process of identifying the victims, Police Chief Patrick Ryder said at the scene on Sunday afternoon, adding that one dead person “committed suicide on the front lawn.”

Records show that 95-year-old Theresa Martha DeLucia was the last person to live there. DeLucia's burial took place Friday at Calverton National Cemetery in Wading River, according to the website Dignitymemorial.com.

Real estate agent Mary Macaluso of Syosset said she came to the house at 12:30 a.m. Sunday to schedule an appointment with the DeLucia family. She said when she arrived, the street was already blocked off by police.

“I met them,” Macaluso said. “The mother had just died and they were in the process of selling the house.”

One of the children “asked me to come over and meet with them to give them an idea of ​​what they should do with the house before they put it up for sale and everything else,” Macaluso said.

The meeting was scheduled for Sunday, she said, because two family members had traveled from Florida for the funeral and would soon be on their way back.

The police initially did not provide any further information about the causes of the killings or the identities of the dead.

Yongmei Li, 50, whose backyard borders the house, said she was watching television late Sunday morning when she heard five or six bangs.

“I heard a loud bang several times,” said Li. “I thought it was construction.”

Li said she looked out the window but saw nothing. Sometime after noon, she said, Nassau County police asked her to go into her backyard, which she did. Police did not ask her any questions or provide any information about why she was there.

She doesn't know anyone who lives in the home, Li said.

It's a nightmare. … Our neighborhood is very peaceful, very quiet. The neighbors are very friendly.”

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