Stein Erik Soelberg is believed to have killed Suzanne Adams, his mother, and then himself.     

By Cecilia Levine From Daily Voice

Days before police say he killed his mother and then himself in a murder-suicide that shook a wealthy Connecticut town, 56-year-old Stein Erik Soelberg had been posting rambling and paranoid thoughts to his 100,000 Instagram followers, claiming he had “special gifts from God” and warning about tampered devices, brain implants, and a “massive, spiritual and kinetic war.”

Soelberg and his mother, Suzanne Adams, 83, were found dead Tuesday, Aug. 5, inside their Old Greenwich home (where the median home price is about $2.1 million), Greenwich police said Friday, Aug. 8. 

Suzanne Adams 

Suzanne Adams 

Suzanne Adams Facebook

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined Soelberg died by suicide from “sharp force injuries of neck and chest.” Adams died by homicide from “blunt injury of head with neck compression.”

On Instagram, under the handle “eriktheviking1987,” Soelberg posted videos and lengthy captions mixing religious language, Hollywood quotes, conspiracy theories, and grandiose self-references. 

On July 25, Soelberg filmed a video of himself speaking to his followers that he captioned, "background as to my spiritual awakening and my role as a teacher here."

Stein Erik Soelberg speaks to his 100,000 Instagram followers.

Stein Erik Soelberg speaks to his 100,000 Instagram followers.

eriktheviking1987

In the video, he says, “I knew I was different” growing up, describing a difficult childhood with divorced parents who fought over him and then “pretty much ignored” him. He said his father, a former Army drill sergeant, would wake him at 6 a.m. for calisthenics and once put him on the roof of his house. 

Soelberg described himself as shy and “pretty much of a nerd,” saying he spent most of his time around adults, developed a strong vocabulary, and occasionally startled dinner guests by asking questions. He said kids his age were “mostly bullies” and that he was “very conscious of spirituality,” mentioning prayer and church, but then abruptly pivoted into explaining the “144,000 star seats” — which he called a divine number.

Someone commented on the video: "May you rest in peace, Stein. I'm so sorry no one could help. you."

In a July 29 post, he claimed to have “special gifts from God and the universe” while scrolling through what appeared to be a conversation with ChatGPT about being uniquely gifted. “Mankind owes such a debt of gratitude and I cannot wait to tell our story,” he wrote.

Soelberg shared bizarre ramblings on Instagram last month.

Soelberg shared bizarre ramblings on Instagram last month.

eriktheviking1987

On July 31, he shared a video of a Google phone, alleging it had been tampered with, that cameras were turning on by themselves, and that he was being tracked despite disabling Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular service. “Another one bites the dust lol,” he wrote.

On Aug. 1, he posted more ramblings, this time concluding with, "I thought I was being attacked by the dark by Demons by evil other dimensional creatures only to find out that it was someone who was you know a little ahead of me in there there is a spiritual ranking hierarchy — if you will and I guess I was moving up the ladder too quickly as well as being outed for who I had been in another B@d@$$."

In 2023, a GoFundMe organized by Steven Robinson said Soelberg had been battling jaw cancer. Soelberg later commented on the page saying that he had a major surgery where doctors ruled out jaw cancer.

"The good news is they have ruled out cancer with a high probability. The bad news is that they cannot seem to come up with a diagnosis and bone tumors continue to grow in my jawbone. They removed a half a golf ball yesterday. Sorry for the visual there.”

Adams, meanwhile, was remembered in her obituary published by the Greenwich Free Press as “a dynamic and spirited woman known for her vibrant personality, ready smile, and tireless energy."

"She was a pioneer in many aspects of her life, including breaking barriers as one of the early women to work on a brokerage desk. Later, she applied her sharp instincts and interpersonal gifts to a successful career in real estate."

She is survived by her grandchildren, the lights of her life, her obituary reads, and preceded in death by both of her husbands, Dan and Peter.

Suzanne Adams 

Suzanne Adams 

Suzanne Adams Facebook

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, harming yourself, or harming others, help is available. Call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or use webchat at 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741. In an emergency, call 911. You are not alone, and confidential support is available 24/7.