Woodbridge Man, 57, Found Dead After Hours-Long Police Standoff

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — A 57-year-old man died in an apparent suicide following a police standoff in the Colonia section of Woodbridge Monday morning, confirmed a Woodbridge Twp. spokesman.

The hours-long police standoff started shortly after 7 a.m. Monday at a home at 379 Dukes Road in Colonia.

The man who died has been identified as the homeowner, William Graziano, 57, said Woodbridge spokesman John Hagerty. His body was found inside the home at 1:30 p.m., dead from a single gunshot wound. He is also thought to have killed his dog, said Hagerty.

The incident began at 7:35 a.m. Monday, when Woodbridge police received a 911 call from that address from a man claiming to have hostages and weapons.

The man was suicidal, Hagerty said: He said he had shot his dog and was having medical problems and problems in his marriage.

"He was incoherent and threatening suicide," said Hagerty.

The Woodbridge police tactical squad arrived on the scene to negotiate with the man, and neighbors who lived nearby were told by police to stay inside their homes. The man's wife was not in the home and the two were estranged.

At some point mid-morning Monday, the man stopped answering his phone. Police entered the home at 1:35 p.m. and found the man's body in an upstairs bedroom.

"Woodbridge police tried to get him out of the house and were not successful," said Hagerty. "At some point during the six-hour standoff, he inflicted the gunshot wound."

The body of his dog was found inside the home, as well.