New York police sergeant, wife, 2 children dead in apparent murder-suicide: police

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

A sergeant with the Bronxville Police Department, which is located in a suburb of New York City, killed his wife and sons, 10 and 12, in a murder-suicide, authorities said Saturday. 

The bodies of Watson Morgan, 49, his wife Ornella, 43, and their sons were found with gunshot wounds in their nearby New City, New York, home late Friday after he didn’t show up for his shift, and the Clarkstown Police Department did a welfare check. 

A handgun was also recovered at the scene. 

“At this phase in the investigation it is believed that Watson killed his wife and two children, prior to killing himself with a self-inflicted gunshot wound,” the Clarkstown Police Department said. 

4 MEN FOUND DEAD IN DENVER-AREA HOME IN APPARENT MURDER SUICIDE

Morgan was a 16-year veteran of the department and had been promoted to sergeant in 2016. Before that, he served with the NYPD from 2000. 

“Our hearts go out to Sergeant Morgan’s extended family,” Bronxville Police Chief Christopher Satriale said. “Our thoughts and prayers are also with his Bronxville Police Department family.”

He added that the murders left the department with “profoundly broken hearts at the senseless loss of innocent lives.”

The Clarkstown Central School District, where the two boys had attended school, sent a letter to parents Saturday over the “tragic loss,” according to the New York Daily News. 

“The coming days and weeks will be a difficult time for our school community as we struggle to understand the loss of precious lives,” the school wrote. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.