NEW CITY, New York – A tragedy struck a quiet neighborhood in New City, New York when Watson Morgan, a 49-year-old police officer, is suspected of fatally shooting his wife, Ornela Morgan, 43, and their two sons aged 10 and 12, before turning the gun on himself. Their bodies were discovered after police conducted a wellness check when Morgan failed to show up for work.
Shocked neighbors in the affluent hamlet of New City have described the family as a ‘perfect’ American family, leaving the community reeling from the sudden tragedy. Bronxville Police Department Sergeant Watson Morgan, who joined the force in 2007, was found dead from self-inflicted gunshot wounds alongside his family on Saturday. Neighbors are struggling to make sense of what has been described as an unimaginable tragedy.
The couple’s two sons, aged 10 and 12, attended school in the Clarkstown Central School District, where grief counselors are now being made available for students. Ornela Morgan, the 43-year-old wife, was a teacher within the New York City public education system, adding to the shock and devastation felt within the community.
The father-of-two was expected to retire from the police force in March, and his social media profiles are full of photos of the family grinning while on vacation and watching baseball games, providing a contrast to the tragic end of their lives. As the investigation continues, the county medical examiner’s office will conduct autopsies to determine the cause of death for each member of the family. The community is left grappling with the devastating impact of this murder-suicide as they come to terms with the loss of a well-liked and respected family.