Police and firefighters investigate the scene of a house fire where eight people were found dead in Broken Arrow, Okla., on Oct. 27, 2022.
Ian Maule/Tulsa World via AP, File
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Ian Maule/Tulsa World via AP, File
Police and firefighters investigate the scene of a house fire where eight people were found dead in Broken Arrow, Okla., on Oct. 27, 2022.
Ian Maule/Tulsa World via AP, File
TULSA, Okla. — Preliminary autopsy reports show that eight members of an Oklahoma family found dead inside their burning home were each shot.
The bodies of Brian Nelson, 34, his wife Brittney Nelson, 32, and their six children were found in October inside the burning home in Broken Arrow, a suburb of Tulsa. The police at the time called it a murder-suicide.
Authorities say all six children — Brian II, 13; Brantley, 9; Vegeta, 7; Ragnar, 5; Kurgan, 2; and Britannica, 1 — were found in a burning bedroom, while their parents were found at the front of the house.
The autopsy 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 killed had multiple gunshot wounds, with the oldest boy, Brian Nelson II, suffering at least six.
Each child also suffered burns, but the manner of death for each of the six is listed as homicide due to gunshot wounds.
“Broken Arrow police investigators 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 Monday.
“We have no additional information to provide to the public at this time regarding this incident,” according to the statement.
Family members previously told the Tulsa World that the couple was experiencing financial difficulties.
The newspaper reported that Brian and Brittney Nelson had filed for bankruptcy in 2020, listing nearly $138,000 in liabilities and about $8,800 in assets, including nine firearms.
