Nora M. Milligan
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CANDID ID: MD_22_983
AGE
11   years
STATE
Maryland
DATE OF DEATH
9/9/2022
STATE REPORTS
Not Available
SUMMARY OF DEATH
On September 9, 2022, 11-year-old Nora M. Milligan was fatally shot in her family's home in Elk Mills, Cecil County, Maryland, as part of a murder-suicide carried out by her father, Marcus Edward Milligan, age 39. Marcus shot and killed his wife Tara (age 37) and all three of their children — Teresa (14), Nora (11), and Finn (8) — using a semi-automatic handgun before calling 911 at 9:19 a.m. to report the deaths. He told dispatchers he intended to kill himself after hanging up, and he was later found deceased in the detached garage with the firearm nearby. The medical examiner determined Nora died of two gunshot wounds to the head, and her manner of death was ruled homicide. The family were homeschooled, active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and had previously lost a fourth child, Conor, to childhood cancer in 2019; grief and theological beliefs about heavenly reunion were cited as possible contributing factors to the murders. Deputies had never been called to the residence before this incident.
Contexts/Conditions

Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?

Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?

Is there any mention of a firearm incident?

Multiple sources confirm a firearm incident. The medical examiner report states "Gunshot Wounds (2) of Head" as the cause of death. The People article states "A semi-automatic handgun was located near the deceased adult male." The NBC News article corroborates: "Autopsies confirmed that all subjects died as a result of gunshot wounds."

Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?

Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)

The medical examiner report (MD_22_983.pdf) states: "Causes of Death: Gunshot Wounds (2) of Head" and "Injury Description: Subject was shot." The child was shot and killed by her father, which constitutes inflicted injury.

Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?

Is there any mention of medical neglect?

Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?

Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?

Multiple sources explicitly describe this as a murder-suicide. The hsinvisiblechildren.org page states the children "were shot to death as part of a murder-suicide by their father, Marcus Milligan, who also killed their mother." The Delaware Online article confirms: "the Cecil County, Maryland, Sheriff's Office, which confirmed the murder-suicide." The People article reports the father "killed his family before turning the weapon on himself."

Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?

Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?

Is there any mention of sexual abuse?

Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?

Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?

Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?

Individuals Involved

Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?

Was a biological father involved in the death?

Multiple sources confirm that the biological father, Marcus Edward Milligan, killed the children. The hsinvisiblechildren.org page states the children "were shot to death as part of a murder-suicide by their father, Marcus Milligan." The Delaware Online article states: "39-year-old Marcus Edward Milligan shot his three children and his wife of 14 years."

Was a biological mother involved in the death?

Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?

Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?

Was a foster parent involved in the death?

Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?

Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)

Was a sibling involved in the death?

Child Characteristics

Was the child adopted?

Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?

The hsinvisiblechildren.org page explicitly states: "The children were homeschooled."

Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?

Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?

Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)

Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)

Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?

Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?

Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?

Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?

The hsinvisiblechildren.org page states: "The Milligans' fourth child, Conor Milligan (2015-2019), died of childhood cancer." This is a separate incident from the September 2022 murder-suicide, occurring approximately three years prior.

Parent/Caregiver Factors

Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?

Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?

Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?

The hsinvisiblechildren.org page states that "grief and theological beliefs may have played a role in the murders," referencing the death of the family's fourth child Conor from cancer three years earlier. The NBC News article describes the father as "almost catatonic" during the 911 call. While no formal mental health diagnosis is mentioned, the discussion of grief as a motivating factor for the murders constitutes an implied reference to the parent's mental health state.

Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?

Notable Details

Several notable details not addressed by preceding questions are present. First, the family was members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the hsinvisiblechildren.org page notes that family and friends' statement that "the reunion [in heaven] is a beautiful one for the family" indicates that "grief and theological beliefs may have played a role in the murders." This suggests a religiously-motivated familicide. Second, a sibling (Conor Milligan) had died of childhood cancer in 2019, "three years and one week" before the murders, suggesting the father's grief over that loss may have been a contributing factor. Third, the Delaware Online article reveals that Marcus Milligan "told dispatchers he was going to kill himself as soon as he hung up," meaning he called 911 after killing his family but before killing himself. Fourth, there is a factual discrepancy: the ME report documents "Gunshot Wounds (2) of Head" for Nora, while the People article states "All five victims died from single gunshot wounds." The ME report, as the direct forensic authority, is the more authoritative source.

Lives Cut Short