Nancy Lanza

Nancy Lanza
Born
Nancy Jean Champion

(1960-09-06)September 6, 1960
Salem, Massachusetts, U.S.
DiedDecember 14, 2012(2012-12-14) (aged 52)
Newtown, Connecticut, U.S.
Cause of deathGunshot wounds
Burial placeKingston, New Hampshire, U.S.
Other namesBeanie
Alma materUniversity of New Hampshire (dropped out)
Occupations
EmployerJohn Hancock Financial (formerly)
Spouse
Peter Lanza
​
​
(m. 1981; div. 2009)​
Children2, including Adam

Nancy Jean Lanza (née Champion; September 6, 1960 – December 14, 2012) was the mother of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting perpetrator Adam Lanza.[1] She was slain in her bedroom as she slept with her legally purchased firearms by her own son before he carried out the shooting. Lanza formerly worked as a financial trader and stockbroker at John Hancock Financial before retiring to take care of Adam. During the early 1980s, she was the family's main source of income while her husband, Peter Lanza, was starting his career as an accountant.

After leaving her career in the early 1990s, Lanza filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against John Hancock Financial. She claimed she was unfairly forced out of her position in the New Accounts Division. She alleged the company discriminated against her due to health complications related to her pregnancies. The case was eventually settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.

Biography

Lanza was born Nancy Jean Champion in Salem, Massachusetts, on 6 September 1960, to Donald Champion (1937–1986) and Dorothy Champion Hanson (born 1933).[2] She had three siblings: James, Donald, and Carol.

As a child, Lanza was kind, considerate, and self-reliant. In high school, she was known by the nickname "Beanie". Her yearbook entry revealed a whimsical side; she was a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien and wrote that she was leaving school to join the Hobbits in Rivendell.[3]

She was very close to her brothers, particularly James, who later became a Police Captain in Kingston. Growing up on a farm in Kingston, New Hampshire, they spent their time tending to livestock and participating in 4-H Club events together.

Marriage to Peter Lanza

Nancy and Peter Lanza’s marriage spanned 28 years before their legal separation and divorce, which was finalized in September 2009. Their relationship was defined by a shared dedication to their sons, particularly managing the complex needs of their younger son, Adam.[4] The couple married on June 6, 1981, in New Hampshire. Early on, Nancy was the primary breadwinner as a stockbroker in Boston while Peter attended college to become an accountant.

In 1998, they moved to a spacious home in Newtown, Connecticut, where Peter’s career as a tax executive thrived. Despite a deteriorating marriage, they were described by a divorce mediator as soft-spoken and gentle parents who spent extensive time discussing how to provide for Adam’s well-being.[5] The couple effectively separated in 2001, when Adam was nine years old. Peter moved into an apartment in Stamford, while Nancy remained in the family home. Nancy filed for divorce in November 2008, citing "Irreconcilable differences" of the marriage.[6]

The divorce was characterized as not acrimonious, with no public disputes over property or custody.[7] Peter agreed to a substantial alimony arrangement so Nancy would never have to work again. By 2012, this payment reached $289,800 annually. He committed to paying the entire cost of both sons' college and graduate school educations. Reflecting their civil relationship, they even agreed to divide their Boston Red Sox season tickets. They shared joint legal custody, though Adam lived primarily with Nancy.[8]

Murder and funeral

Main article: Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting

Sometime before 9:30 a.m. EST on December 14, 2012, Lanza was shot and killed by her son, Adam with a .22-caliber Savage Mark II rifle at their Newtown home.[9][10] Investigators later found her body in her bed, clad in pajamas, with four gunshot wounds to her head.[11][12] Adam then drove to Sandy Hook Elementary School in Nancy's car, where he shot and killed 20 children and 6 staff members before committing suicide.[9][13] A small, private service was held on December 20, 2012, in her hometown of Kingston, New Hampshire. It was attended by approximately 25 close family members, including her ex-husband, Peter Lanza.[14] She was buried in an undisclosed location in New Hampshire to protect the gravesite from public attention or potential vandalism. A much larger memorial service took place on June 15, 2013, at the First Congregational Church of Kingston. Over 100 people attended, including friends from both New Hampshire and Newtown. Attendees at the memorial described Nancy as a "kind, generous, and devoted mother." The service focused on her life as a bubbly and social person who loved jazz, gardening, and her community.

See also

References

  1. ^ Thompson, Brian; Vigliotti • •, Jonathan (2012-12-16). "Nancy Lanza Was Devoted, Loving Mother: Friends". NBC New York. Retrieved 2026-02-08.
  2. ^ Brown, MariAn Gail. "Nancy Lanza recalled with kind words, not as killer's mom". Greenwich Time. Archived from the original on 2025-08-04. Retrieved 2026-02-08.
  3. ^ "Shooter's mother struggled to raise son, relative says". FOX 6 Now Milwaukee. 2012-12-17. Retrieved 2026-02-08.
  4. ^ Memmott, Mark (2012-12-18). "Nancy Lanza, Gunman's Mother: From 'Charmed Upbringing' To First Victim". TPR. Retrieved 2026-02-08.
  5. ^ • (2012-12-17). "Mediator: Mom Didn't Like to Leave Conn. Shooting Gunman Alone". NBC New York. Retrieved 2026-02-08. {{cite web}}: |last= has numeric name (help)
  6. ^ "Source: Adam Lanza had cut ties with father". TODAY.com. Retrieved 2026-02-08.
  7. ^ • (2012-12-17). "Mediator: Mom Didn't Like to Leave Conn. Shooting Gunman Alone". NBC New York. Retrieved 2026-02-08. {{cite web}}: |last= has numeric name (help)
  8. ^ TODAY, Donna Leinwand Leger, USA. "Wife got custody of son who became mass killer". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2026-02-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ a b Esposito, Richard; Smith, Candice; Ng, Christina (December 14, 2012). "20 Children Died in Newtown, Conn., School Massacre". ABC News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on December 15, 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
  10. ^ "Sandy Hook School Shootings Fast Facts". CNN. June 7, 2013. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  11. ^ Christofferson, John; Apuzzo, Matt; Fitzgerald, Jim; Murphy, Bridget; Eaton-Robb, Pat (December 16, 2012). "Evidence hints at deadlier plan in Conn. massacre". The Washington Times. Associated Press. Archived from the original on January 28, 2013. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
  12. ^ Ariosto, Michael Martinez,David (2012-12-15). "Adam Lanza's family: Mom liked parlor games, guns; dad, a tax exec, remarried". CNN. Retrieved 2026-02-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ "Gunman dead after killing 20 children, 6 adults at Connecticut elementary school". Fox News. December 14, 2012. Archived from the original on December 16, 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
  14. ^ Solomon, Andrew (2014-03-10). "The Reckoning". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 2026-02-08.
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