Teen Faces 97 Years in Killing of His Brother's Family

A young man from New Hampshire who was 16 when he killed his sister-in-law and two young nephews deserves at least 97 years in prison, prosecutors are telling a judge Friday. Eric Sweeney, now 19, had been living with his older brother's family in Northfield for three years when he fatally shot Kassandra Sweeney, 25, and her sons, 4-year-old Benjamin and 23-month-old Mason, in August 2022. Originally charged with first-degree murder, Sweeney instead pleaded guilty in August to lesser second-degree murder charges. Defense lawyers will seek a prison term of 40 years to life, reports the AP, based in part on the "immeasurable trauma" Sweeney suffered as a child, including a mother who "dragged him through drug dens and a succession of abusive father figures."

"We are asking the court to grant Eric some measure of mercy," attorneys Lauren Prusiner and Morgan Taggart-Hampton wrote in a sentencing memorandum. Prosecutors are seeking consecutive sentences of 35 years to life for Kassandra Sweeney's death and 40 years to life for each of the boys' deaths, with up to 18 years suspended if goals related to education, mental health treatment, and good behavior are met. "Benjamin and Mason embody the reason why crimes against children deserve the harshest of penal sanctions. They did absolutely nothing wrong," Assistant Attorney General Bethany Durand wrote. "Their murders deserve separate, consecutive sentences."

Kassandra Sweeney, a nursing assistant, worked nights so she could care for her boys during the day. On the morning of the killings, she had fixed them a snack and was recording videos of them playing and laughing to send to her husband. Four minutes after she sent the last video, all three were shot in the head, Benjamin through the hood of the dinosaur costume he was wearing.

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Sweeney later told police he was in the basement when he heard something break upstairs, a man with a deep voice yelling, and multiple "pops," according to court documents. He said he went upstairs and found his sister-in-law and nephews on the floor bleeding and then took Kassandra's cellphone and keys and drove away. He then called his brother, who called police. The defense argues that sentencing Sweeney to what would effectively be a life sentence without parole violates the state Constitution. They said he loved those he killed and will "grapple with the consequences of his actions for the rest of his days."