'Seun Ibukun-Oni, Abuja
DAILY COURIER - A 46-year-old man, Anthony Nephew, killed himself, his wife, his ex-partner, and two of his children following the recent re-election of Donald Trump as U.S. President. Authorities believe the election outcome may have exacerbated long-standing mental health issues Nephew was struggling with, leading to this devastating incident.
Duluth Police Chief Mike Ceynowa revealed on Sunday that officers responded to a call on Thursday afternoon and found Nephew’s ex-partner, Erin Abramson, 47, and their 15-year-old son, Jacob, dead from apparent gunshot wounds in her residence.
Later, police located Nephew’s own family at his home, where his 45-year-old wife, Kathryn Nephew, and their 7-year-old son, Oliver, were also discovered with fatal gunshot wounds. The police suspect Anthony Nephew took his own life after the killings.
Chief Ceynowa stated that Nephew had a history of mental health issues, and recent posts on his social media accounts suggest he may have been deeply troubled by political developments and his own personal struggles. Investigators believe the outcome of the November 5 election, which returned Trump to office, may have intensified Nephew’s mental distress.
Before the tragic incident, Nephew had posted extensively on Facebook, expressing fears related to political and religious extremism. In a post from July, he wrote about his unease with “religious zealots inflicting their misguided beliefs” on his family, adding that he had frequent “intrusive thoughts” of persecution. “My mental health and the world can no longer peacefully coexist, and a lot of the reason is religion,” he wrote.
Nephew’s online activity also hinted at a deep resentment toward conservative politics, which he felt restricted people’s freedoms, particularly women’s rights. In another post, he referenced the dystopian novel *The Handmaid’s Tale*, suggesting that American politics was making it “harder for women to leave abusive relationships.” Nephew had also shared a post featuring Trump alongside Democratic politicians Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris, labeling Trump with “hate” while associating the others with “hope,” “heal,” and “grow.”
In 2021, Nephew wrote an op-ed for the *Duluth News Tribune* where he described the devastating toll of untreated mental health issues in America. “For millions of Americans, a breakdown leads to suicide — or homicide before suicide,” he wrote. He lamented the stigma surrounding mental health and the lack of support, calling it a “burden for the individual to bear alone, with little help and even less understanding.”
Authorities continue to investigate but have determined there is no ongoing threat to the community. However, they have not yet confirmed a specific motive for the shootings beyond Nephew’s apparent distress. The incident has ignited local discussions about the intersection of mental health, political tensions, and support systems within the community.
