Eight family members found dead in burning house were shot in ‘murder-suicide’

From left: Brian Anthony Nelson II, Kurgan Nelson, Ragnar Nelson, Brantley Nelson and Vegeta Nelson are seen in a framed photograph in their grandparents’ apartment in Tulsa (Andrea Eger/Tulsa World/AP)

Eight members of an Oklahoma family found dead inside their burning house were shot, preliminary post-mortem examination reports show.

The bodies of Brian Nelson, 34, his wife Brittney Nelson, 32, and their six children were found inside the home in Broken Arrow, a Tulsa suburb, in October.

Police at the time called it a murder-suicide.

Authorities say the six children — Brian, 13; Brantley, nine; Vegeta, seven; Ragnar, five; Kurgan, two; and Britannica, one — were found in a bedroom, while their parents were found in the front of the home.

A room is seen at the back of a house in Broken Arrow, where the eight people died in an apparent murder-suicide (Mike Simons/Tulsa World/AP)

The post-mortem examination report says Brian and Brittney Nelson each suffered a gunshot wound to the head and lists the manner of death as unknown.

Four of the children had multiple gunshot wounds, with the eldest child, Brian, suffering at least six.

Each child also suffered burns to their bodies but the manner of death for each of the six is listed as murder due to gunshot wounds.

“Broken Arrow police investigators have reviewed the medical examiner’s reports in reference to the incident we reported as an octuple murder-suicide,” the police department said in a statement on Monday.

“We have no additional information to provide the public at this time regarding this incident.”

Family members previously told the Tulsa World the couple were experiencing financial difficulties.

The newspaper said they filed for bankruptcy in 2020, listing nearly $138,000 in liabilities and about $8,800 in assets, including nine guns.