'In shock.' Memorial grows for family slain in New City murder-suicide

The Rockland community is working to cope with the loss of a family that officials say were killed in a murder-suicide over the weekend

Nadia Galindo and Diane Caruso

Jan 2, 2024, 10:37 AM

Updated 355 days ago

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The Rockland community is working to cope with the loss of a family that officials say were killed in a murder-suicide over the weekend.
There is a growing memorial outside of 10 Clydesdale Court in New City.
The home is where officials say that 43-year-old Ornela Morgan, her two sons - 10-year-old Liam and 12-year-old Gabriel - were shot and killed by 49-year-old Watson, their dad and husband, before he turned the gun on himself.
Watson Morgan was also a sergeant, with the Bronxville Police Department.
“I was just in shock,” said Dorothy Cunningham, of Congers, who came to the home to pray on Tuesday.
She is a religious teacher at nearby St. Francis of Assisi, a church that the Morgan family were part of.
She says Gabriel was her student two years ago. 
"Just a really nice family,” said Cunningham. “Really sweet kids. There's going to be a lot of mending to do." 
News 12 is told that the church and archdiocese will have counselors to support the parish through this time.
The Clarkstown school district, where the brothers attended, has counselors available, too.
"As you would imagine, this is the deepest sense of grief, grieving that a school community could possibly have,” said Dr. Marc  Baiocco, the superintendent of the Clarkstown Central School District.
Liam was a fifth grader at Laurel Plains Elementary, while Gabriel was a seventh grader at Felix Festa Middle School.
Dr. Baiocco says the brothers were in Boy Scouts and played sports. 
Mrs. Morgan taught at a school in the Bronx.
A statement by the NYC Department of Education said "This is an absolutely tragic loss for the entire community."
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