A man killed his wife, ex-partner, and two sons in a tragic murder-suicide. Anthony Nephew, 46, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his home on West 6th Street in Duluth, Minnesota, on Thursday afternoon.
Three years before his death, he had openly discussed the mental health crisis in the United States, cautioning that “breakdowns lead to suicide – or homicide before suicide.” His wife, Kathryn Ramsland, 45, and their seven-year-old son, Oliver, were also found dead from gunshot wounds inside the home they shared with Nephew. Earlier, police had made another grim discovery at the home of Nephew’s ex, Erin Abramson, located less than a mile away.
Mental Health Crisis Leading to Tragic End
Responding to a welfare check around 2 pm, police found 47-year-old Erin Abramson and her 15-year-old son, Jacob Nephew, dead from multiple gunshot wounds. The blended family had seemed close.
Kathryn, known as Kat, frequently posted on Facebook about Erin, calling her “my son’s brother’s mom” and praising her as the “best baker.” She often shared photos of Erin’s baked treats and videos of young Oliver requesting them.
“He was such a sweet little boy,” one neighbor said, describing Oliver.
Kathryn frequently expressed admiration for Nephew, calling him “elite” in a recent Father’s Day post. The couple had just celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary last month.
In recent months, however, Nephew seemed to have taken a turn toward conspiracy theories, posting strange social media messages about aliens and “harnessing the power of the center of the galaxy.”
“Life is just a fantasy of your own construction drawn from the lattice of your own experiential reality,” he said just last month.
He also seemed to grow increasingly worried about the possibility of a government led by Trump.
“My mental health and the world can no longer peacefully coexist, and a lot of the reason is religion,” he said in July.
“I am terrified of religious zealots inflicting their misguided beliefs on me and my family. I have intrusive thoughts of being burned at the stake as a witch, or crucified on a burning cross.
“Having people actually believe that I or my child are Satan or, the anti-Christ or whatever their favorite color of boogie man they are afraid are this week.”
Struggling with His Inner Demons
He had also claimed that Republicans were “making it harder for women to leave” abusive relationships, adding, “Gilead, here we come.” The term “Gilead” appears to refer to The Handmaid’s Tale, a dystopian society that replaced the United States and eliminated women’s rights.
For years, he had openly discussed his mental health struggles, describing himself in 2022 as a “survivor” of suicidal thoughts. He even wrote a column in the Duluth News Tribune emphasizing the importance of healthcare for mental illness.
“Mental health in this country is stigmatized, ignored, or treated as a burden for the individual to bear alone, with little help and less understanding,” he wrote.
“Americans deny they have mental health struggles. Because they have to, because they’re told to, or because they don’t realize their mind is broken.
“Finally the synapses overload, and they suffer a breakdown. For most of us, that’s the best end result. For millions of Americans, a breakdown leads to suicide — or homicide before suicide.”
