Emily Long: The TikToker who killed her family and then herself
The case of Emily Long and her family is an incredibly disturbing and tragic story that is still under investigation at the time of writing. Long was a TikToker who allegedly shot and killed her husband and two of her children before turning the gun on herself. Long used her TikTok account to share her struggles with mental health and her coping mechanisms following her husband’s diagnosis of brain cancer.
As mentioned, the case is very recent at the time of writing, so there is still information that might come to light later down the line. As of right now though, we’re going to dive deeper into what we know about the devastating case of Emily Long, the murder-suicide TikToker.
Who was Emily Long?
Emily Long was a 34-year-old woman living with her husband and three children in Madbury, New Hampshire. Ryan Long, Emily’s husband, was 48 years old. Her son Parker was eight, and her daughter, also called Ryan, was six years old. Her other child has not been named, but we know that he is a toddler.
Ryan worked for Oyster River Cooperative School District as a school psychologist. He also worked part time as an adjunct instructor within the Plymouth State University Graduate Programs. Emily had worked as Director of Operations at the local Wing-Itz chicken restaurant, but she was looking for a new job at the time of her death.
The TikTok account
A few months prior to the murder-suicide, Emily set up a TikTok account called EmilyLong41. She decided to do this to document her feelings and experiences after her husband was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
Emily referred to herself as 'Brain Cancer Wife' on the account, with around 80 videos where she discussed Ryan’s sickness. She also talked about his treatments and the effects they had on him and the family. The now private account had more than 5,000 followers. The account was clearly an attempt to manage the grief of her husband's illness, with her page description reading, 'My digital diary – it’s cheaper than therapy'.
Emily’s battle with depression
In her videos, Emily documents the struggles she faces with depression, as well as her attempts to get out of it. She made comments on her loneliness and anxiety, but said that she did not feel ready to get help from a therapist yet.
Embezzlement accusations
While she was making her TikToks, Emily was under fire from Derek Fisher, the owner of her Wing-Itz where she had been employed. He accused Emily of embezzling around $600,000 from Wing-Itz business accounts. Emily sent three months of bank statements to Fisher as requested, but the documents he received were confirmed by Emily’s bank to be doctored.
Emily did not show up to a meeting that the two were due to have on 11th August. Instead, she texted Fisher and said she would resign, work remotely or Fisher could fire her. Fisher then filed a complaint against her with the police, but it would never be completed due to her death.
Murder-suicide
On Monday 18th August, a 911 call came in reporting that there were dead bodies inside the Long family home. Upon arrival, the police found the bodies of Emily, her husband and two of the children, Parker and Ryan. The toddler was not harmed, nor were the two family dogs.
A press release from the New Hampshire Department of Justice stated that the children received one gunshot wound to the head, as did Emily. Ryan had multiple gunshot wounds. The shots came from a handgun that the family had in their home.
The press release also states the following, which is important to keep in mind:
'While investigators are becoming aware of various concerns/issues ongoing in the household at the time of the event in question, people should avoid speculating that this event was caused by a single reason or stressor.'
The murder-suicide of the Long family – minus their young toddler – is a truly heartbreaking case.
Want to stay up-to-date on a range of different crime related topics? Then be sure to subscribe to the Crime+Investigation newsletter and receive exclusive access to all our latest content.
