A Long Island teenager accused of killing his ex-girlfriend in a purported murder-suicide attempt reportedly left a disturbing note outlining a grim timeline he had set for himself, according to prosecutors.
Marine recruit Austin Lynch is facing charges for the death of his 18-year-old former girlfriend, Emily Finn, in a brutal shotgun attack that took place at his residence.
Suffolk County prosecutors assert the attack was spurred by Finn breaking up with Lynch after starting college.
Authorities reportedly discovered a chilling note on Lynch’s phone after the incident, expressing intense hatred towards Finn and detailing a dark timeline he had set.
“I have set my mind on leaving this place before my 18th birthday,” the note stated.
During the arraignment, Assistant District Attorney Dena Rizopoulos explained that Lynch became obsessive when Finn left for SUNY Oneonta, breaking up with him just weeks before her murder on November 26, the day before Lynch’s birthday.
Their relationship deteriorated after Finn began college, with Rizopoulos referencing friends of Finn who described Lynch as overly possessive and accusatory after being left in Sayville to join the Marines.
Their three-year high school relationship ended following a Halloween visit that led to conflict. Finn eventually ended the relationship through a phone call and blocked Lynch on social media.
Rizopoulos informed the court, “The victim’s friend described the two-week point when the defendant shifted to anger.”
According to this friend, Lynch had expressed a grim intention just before the murder, with the attorney noting, “In a conversation the weekend before the murder, this defendant told this friend that he would be dead by Wednesday.”
Despite his stated intentions, Lynch appeared in court to plead not guilty to a second-degree murder charge, wearing green medical scrubs and with his face bandaged following a failed suicide attempt.
Emily Finn’s former dance instructor, Kathy Kairns-Scholz, expressed admiration for her talent, telling the NY Post, “She was dedicated and worked 100% all the time. She knew everything. She picked choreography up very quickly and had a great mind that she could retain everything. A beautiful performer.”