A man is believed to have killed his wife, their 7-year-old son and the family dog in their New Jersey home before killing himself, authorities said Thursday.
The Ocean County prosecutor’s office said a 48-year-old woman, the child and the dog were found dead Wednesday afternoon in their Lacey Township home. A 51-year-old man died at a hospital of self-inflicted wounds, prosecutors said.
The prosecutor’s office said the investigation is in its preliminary stages but emphasized the community is not at risk.
Isabella Carey, who lives next door, told NJ.com the husband chatted with her Sunday. She said she felt a bit awkward because they had never spoken for that long before. She said it appeared he didn’t want to end the conversation despite her polite attempts to try and go back inside her house.
“He was kind of zoning out. There was nothing really left to say,” she said.
She said she frequently saw the husband with his son but didn’t see the wife that often.
Authorities are trying to contact the victims’ relatives before they release any additional information.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.