NJ man, girlfriend killed in cold blood by teen struggling with transition, cops say
✅ A NJ native and his girlfriend were found slaughtered at home
✅ The girlfriend's daughter is charged with murder
✅ Mother and daughter had disagreements
A man from New Jersey and his Florida girlfriend were killed in cold blood by the woman's teenage child who told police that she disapproved of her mother's dating age gap and reluctance to accept her transition.
Matthew Szejnrok, 22, and girlfriend Kelly McCollom, 41, were shot and stabbed by the 16-year-old girl on July 7 in the Palm Bay home they all shared, investigators said.
The bloodbath began shortly after the 16-year-old told the couple "welcome home" as they walked through the door, police said, citing the teen's confession.
The teen eventually called police to report that someone had broken into the house and killed the couple, officials said. She told police later she hid in her bedroom with two dogs, one of which was a pit bull. She claimed her phone had been left in the kitchen.
Her story started to unravel when police said details did not match with what officers found when they arrived. According to the affidavit, McCollom's body was found in the the living room with several gunshot wounds. Szejnrok was in the bathroom with multiple gunshot and stab wounds.
There were several video cameras inside the home, according to the affidavit.
In her confession, the teen told police that while McCollom and Szejnrok were out she removed a revolver and bullets from her mother's bedroom. She waited in the kitchen for them to arrive home and greeted them with "welcome home" before attacking them.
Szejnrok retreated to the bathroom where the teen repeatedly stabbed him after running out of bullets, she told police.
After Szejnrok asked the teen to "put him out of his misery," she got one more bullet from the bedroom and shot him in the head, she reportedly confessed.
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Reaching a 'boiling point'
According to the affidavit, the teen had reached a "boiling point" about the age difference between McCollom and Szejnrok. Mother and daughter also had recent disagreements about the teen's transition. Other details about these disagreements were not provided in court documents.
The affidavit said the teen is facing two counts of first-degree pre-meditated murder. New Jersey 101.5 normally does not name juvenile suspects unless they are charged as adults.
One of Szejnrok's seven siblings told NJ.com that he moved to Florida in 2022 after his mother died in 2021 from COVID-19 complications. He was looking for a fresh start in life, the sibling said.
"Matthew will be remembered for his loving nature that touched everyone he encountered. His infectious laughter could brighten even the darkest days, and his kind heart knew no bounds. Whether it was cracking jokes or lending a listening ear to those in need, Matthew had an uncanny ability to make others feel seen and loved," according to his obituary.
The obituary's timeline of Szejnrok's life says he graduated North Brunswick High School in 2020. The sibling told NJ.com that Szejnrok was born in Toms River.
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