Family in Oklahoma murder-suicide faced financial pressures

BROKEN ARROW, Oklahoma — An Oklahoma couple considered “prime suspects” in the murders of their six children last week faced mounting financial pressures and the husband experienced recurring pain from a workplace injury, according to members of the family

Eight people were found dead Thursday in a burning home in a Tulsa-area suburb in what authorities are investigating as a murder-suicide. The Broken Arrow Police Department on Sunday identified the two adults as Brian and Brittney Nelson, but did not provide new information about whether the two adults were involved in the murders of the children, who ranged in age from 1 at 13 years old.

Brian Nelson’s parents, Danny and Marilyn Nelson, told the Tulsa World that their son had asked if they could babysit their grandchildren at 5 p.m. Thursday, the day of the fire.

“Five came and went. Then it was 6. I texted them – no responses,” said Danny Nelson. “I turned on the 6 o’clock news, and they said there had been a fire near Hickory and Galveston in Broken Arrow. That’s where my son lives.”

Police have not released the names of the children who died, but the Nelsons identified them as grandson Brian II, 13; grandson Brantley, 9; grandchildren Vegeta, 7, Ragnar, 5, and Kurgan, 2; and granddaughter Britannica, 1.

All six children were found dead in a burning bottom room and the two adults were found in the front of the house. Authorities said the causes of death were still pending, but they do not believe anyone died from the fire.

Brian and Brittney Nelson had filed for bankruptcy in 2020, listing $8,803 in assets versus nearly $138,000 in liabilities, most of which were unpaid student loans, the newspaper said. Both indicated they were unemployed at the time, the filing said.

The bankruptcy filing also listed nine guns as assets.

Years ago, Brian Nelson had suffered a concussion while stocking refrigerators of dairy products at a large retail chain and had been plagued by severe headaches ever since, his parents said.

“I want people to know that at one time he had all his brains together,” Marilyn Nelson said. “I just don’t understand why they did what they did. I don’t understand why he ended up in that situation. I talk to God all the time – and I just don’t understand.”