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Angelo Talignani, 85, of Burr Place went to 84-year-old Anthony Gentile’s home four doors down, killed him with one of his guns in his bedroom, then returned home and shot his wife, Antoinette, 82, before killing himself with the same .22-caliber handgun around 7:30 a.m., ,Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli said at a news conference.
“We don’t know if there was any type of scuffle or argument,” Molinelli said, adding that he believes Talignani’s original intent was to kill himself.
Molinelli said the U.S. Army PFC known as “Chick” had shown signs of depression to police called to his home. But no note was left, and authorities may never know what really happened, the prosecutor said.
“It’s a tragedy,” he said. “These people were all elderly who had known each other for a long time… longtime residents of Hasbrouck Heights.”
Gentile, who lived alone, legally owned his two guns, Molinelli said. His wife (Antoinette Talignani’s sister) died three years ago, records show.
Both men were close friends, those who knew them said.
A home health aide who recently moved in with the Talignanis at 146 Burr Place heard the shots and called police.
A family remember recognized the guns, leading to Gentile’s house at 138 Burr Place, where they found his body, the prosecutor said.
Molinelli’s and Hasbrouck Heights detectives were investigating. The Bergen County Sheriff’s Bureau of Criminal Identification was collecting evidence.
PHOTO, TOP: CLIFFVIEW PILOT Correspondent Mike Flood
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