An 18-year-old Nesconset man has been indicted in the killing of his former girlfriend, who prosecutors say was shot as she left his home. Authorities say the Nov. 26, 2025 attack left 18-year-old Emily Finn dead and her ex, Austin Lynch, critically injured in what they describe as an apparent murder-suicide attempt. Lynch has pleaded not guilty and is undergoing a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation, as a Suffolk County case that started with a holiday visit now winds its way through the courts.
What prosecutors say
According to Newsday, which cited a news release from the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Finn went to Lynch’s family home on Shenandoah Boulevard North in Nesconset on Nov. 26 to return some of his belongings. As she was leaving, prosecutors say, Lynch fired a close-range shot that killed her, then shot himself. His parents, who were working outside at the time, called 911 after hearing the gunfire.
Messages and motive outlined in court
At a court hearing, prosecutors said a series of messages Lynch sent between Nov. 12 and Nov. 20 laid out his intentions toward Finn and himself. A passage read aloud at his arraignment included the line, “I have set my mind on leaving this place the day before my 18th birthday, I [expletive] hate her,” according to Newsday, which reported that prosecutors pointed to the note as evidence of premeditation.
Court orders and competency review
Acting Supreme Court Justice Anthony Senft ordered Lynch committed to a New York State Office of Mental Health hospital until he is found competent to stand trial, according to CBS New York, which cited the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. The outlet reports that the court set a review schedule that calls for his status to be reassessed in a year unless doctors determine sooner that he is competent.
Victim remembered locally
Finn, 18, graduated from Sayville High School, spent years dancing at the American Ballet Studio in Bayport and was studying early childhood education at SUNY Oneonta, according to friends and instructors. She had returned home for Thanksgiving break when the shooting occurred. The loss has been described as devastating in a tight-knit local community, according to coverage by South Shore Press and information shared publicly by the studio.
Legal stakes
Lynch was indicted on one count of Murder in the Second Degree, a Class A felony that can carry a sentence of 25 years to life in prison if he is convicted, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. The office’s Homicide Bureau is prosecuting the case while investigators continue to gather evidence and interview witnesses.
What’s next
Lynch has pleaded not guilty and remains under medical and judicial supervision as competency proceedings continue. The criminal case will move forward only after clinicians and the court determine whether he understands the charges and can assist in his own defense, and prosecutors say they will proceed when he is found able to do so, as reported by CBS New York.
