A welfare check prompted by Valerie Kopetic’s absence from work led Suffolk County police to a tragic discovery on Monday morning, February 9, 2026. Kopetic’s employer grew concerned when the 63-year-old executive director of a Stony Brook youth nonprofit failed to appear, contacting authorities to request a visit to her shared home. The call set in motion events that uncovered a murder-suicide in the quiet residential neighborhood.
Officers from the Suffolk County Police Department arrived at the couple’s residence at 135 Oakwood Road in Port Jefferson shortly after 11 a.m. The single-family home on a tree-lined street in this Long Island village became the focal point as police knocked and then entered to check on the occupants. Port Jefferson, a picturesque harbor community in Suffolk County, rarely sees such violence, making the response urgent.
Inside the home, authorities found Valerie Kopetic and Paul Trefimovich, both suffering from fatal gunshot wounds. Kopetic had been shot multiple times, while Trefimovich’s injury appeared self-inflicted. The scene indicated a domestic incident that escalated fatally, with no signs of forced entry or external involvement.
Investigators determined Trefimovich, 68, shot his longtime partner Kopetic before turning the gun on himself. The weapon, a firearm registered or accessible in the home, linked directly to the deaths. Homicide Squad detectives processed the Oakwood Road property for hours, collecting evidence amid the shock of a murder-suicide in a peaceful area.
Valerie Kopetic served as executive director of Hope House Ministries, a nonprofit supporting youth in Stony Brook, adding layers to the community’s grief. Friends described her as dedicated and kind, while the couple had shared the Port Jefferson home for years. The incident stemmed from unknown domestic issues, leaving neighbors stunned on the typically serene street.
Suffolk County police continue reviewing the case as a closed murder-suicide with no threat to the public. The bodies were removed for autopsy confirmation of gunshot wounds as the cause. Oakwood Road residents expressed sorrow over the loss in their close-knit village, highlighting the hidden struggles that can lead to such devastating outcomes.
