A New Jersey father who shot and killed his wife, daughter and son before turning the gun on himself called a relative to admit what he had done, police said Monday.
Krzysztof Nieroda, 41, reached out to a family member to share the gruesome details of the triple murder before shooting himself in the head.
On Sunday, the electrician was found dead at his home in Linden alongside the bodies of his beautician Justyna, 41, his son Sebastian, 14, and daughter Natalie, 13.
Sebastian initially survived the shooting but later died in hospital.
At this time, the motive for the shooting is unknown and the matter is being further investigated by local law enforcement.
Krzysztof Nieroda, 41, shot dead his wife, daughter and son at their home in Linden, New Jersey over the weekend before turning the gun on himself
This is Justyna Nieroda, 41, who was shot by her husband
Justyna, Natalie and Sebastian were all shot by Krzysztof in their home
Since the bodies were discovered at the family home on Sunday morning, neighbors have had to mourn and wonder what happened to the seemingly happy family.
‘She was always so nice, nice smile on her face, never. I would think something is wrong,” a neighbor told CBS New York.
The man and woman moved into their home in the quiet suburb in 2007.
According to his LinkedIn page, Krzysztof worked as an electrician. Justyna was a hairstylist and beautician at Prestige, a beauty salon in Rahway, New Jersey.
Less than a month before the murder-suicide, Krzysztof posted on Facebook that he and Justyna had a date night at a local restaurant.
“Date and time,” the man wrote. ‘Me and my beautiful wife.’
Residents in the neighborhood described the family as “quiet” and “friendly” and said they often saw them walking their dog.
“They are a normal family. So it’s impossible to believe,” said a neighbor.
The person also said the family likes to go camping and have recently remodeled their kitchen.
Here Krzysztof is pictured with his children Natalie and Sebastian, both of whom were murdered by their father
Neighbors said the man and his wife appeared happy and were a quiet family
Less than a month before the murder-suicide, Krzysztof said in a Facebook post that he and his wife Justyna had a “date night.”
Investigators were seen outside the New Jersey home on Sunday
According to his LinkedIn page, Krzysztof worked as an electrician. Justyna was a hairstylist and beautician at Prestige, a beauty salon in Rahway, New Jersey
On Monday, Linden School District Superintendent Rocco G. Tomazic said they offer grief counselors for students and staff.
According to Tomazic, Natalie was in seventh grade and Sebastian was in eighth.
“Every student death affects us all,” the superintendent wrote in a statement.
“But we will never get so used to such a loss that we cannot respond with empathy, understanding and caring. We will fully support each other in these difficult times. Let’s all work towards this goal together,” he continued.
CBS New York reported that Natalie and Sebastian’s friends and classmates were seen outside their home on Sunday night, placing flowers and balloons outside.
“I feel terrible today because I’ve seen these kids since they were born,” neighbor Digna Alvarez told the outlet.
“I never saw a fight in this house. They were very nice people. family, very together family. They walked in the snow together all the time, played in the snow, rode bikes together,” Alvarez continued.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy also confirmed that he was aware of the situation and “will support Linden as much as he can.”
Inside the house, investigators found the bodies of Justyna, Natalie and Krzysztof. The couple’s son initially survived but later died in hospital
The area was cordoned off for hours on Sunday while investigators cleaned up the crime scene
Local officials are now using the tragedy to remind anyone who may be struggling to get help.
“In tragedy of this magnitude, there are no words that can heal, nor explanations that can serve to make sense of the public,” Union County Attorney William Daniel said in a statement.
“Our thoughts are with the family and friends of these victims and with the entire Linden community following this horrific event,” Daniel continued.
Linden Police Chief David Hart echoed the prosecutor’s statements and said the public should seek mental health help.
“We are not alone in our grief; Each of us has a shared responsibility to be there for our loved ones as we grieve the loss of our friends and neighbors,” Hart said.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255). It’s a free 24/7 service that offers support, information, and local resources.