Transgender gunman Robert Dorgan was cousins with his ex-wife, Rhonda Dorgan, whom he killed along with their son at a high school hockey game. The disturbing family ties came to light after records showed that the gunman shared the same last name as his ex-wife and her parents, who were also wounded in Monday's attack, the Providence Journal reported.
Further investigation has revealed that he and Rhonda were first cousins, once removed, when they married in 1992. Dorgan targeted his family at a high school hockey game in Pawtucket on Monday, fatally shooting Rhonda and their son, Aidan. Her parents, Gerald and Linda Dorgan, were also shot and remain critical.
Twisting Revelations
At first, it wasn't clear why the shooter shared the same last name as his ex-wife's parents. But a closer look at historical records — including the 1950 census — began to piece together a complicated and deeply intertwined family history.
At the time, Edward and Eva Dorgan were living in Smithfield, Rhode Island, with their two sons, Raymond and Robert J. Dorgan. Robert J.
Dorgan would later become the father of Robert Dorgan, the man accused of shooting dead his family. Raymond Dorgan, meanwhile, was the father of Gerald Dorgan — one of the victims who remains in critical condition alongside his wife, Linda.
Gerald and Linda were the parents of Rhonda Dorgan, who married Robert Dorgan in 1992. The couple eventually divorced in 2021. The revelations about their shared family roots have added another tragic dimension to a case that has already left multiple generations shattered.
Nothing to Hide
According to the report, this family connection means Edward Dorgan was the killer's grandfather and also the great-grandfather of the woman who was killed. That lineage makes Rhonda Dorgan and Robert Dorgan first cousins once removed.
The situation also drew attention to state marriage laws. Rhode Island is one of 32 U.S. states where first cousins are legally allowed to marry.
It is also among a small number of states that permit avunculate marriages—unions between an uncle and niece or an aunt and nephew—under certain religious or cultural conditions.
