Teen sentenced to 60 years for killing sister-in-law and two young nephews

A New Hampshire teenager has been sentenced to 60 years to life in prison for the 2022 murders of his sister-in-law and two young nephews, a case that revealed both horrific childhood trauma and brutal violence.

Eric Sweeney, now 19, received the sentence Friday, October 3, 2025 for fatally shooting Kassandra Sweeney, 25, and her sons Benjamin, 4, and Mason, 23 months, while living with his older brother's family in Northfield.

Judge John Kissinger imposed the term after acknowledging the "immeasurable trauma" Sweeney endured as a child, including being dragged through drug dens by his mother and exposure to multiple abusive father figures.

The sentence allows for up to six years suspension, making Sweeney eligible for parole at age 68 with credit for time served since his arrest.

Originally facing first-degree murder charges, Sweeney pleaded guilty in August to reduced second-degree murder counts.

Defense attorney Lauren Prusiner requested a 40-year minimum term, citing her client's severe childhood trauma and suggesting he might have retrieved the gun intending suicide before panicking.

Prosecutors had sought at least 97 years, emphasizing the calculated nature of the killings.

The sentencing hearing included emotional testimony from family members and played final videos Kassandra recorded of her sons playing just minutes before their deaths.

Relatives described the victims as a devoted mother and two energetic boys, with one cousin urging the court to "remember who they were. Their lives mattered. Their futures mattered."