Police: Wurtsboro man kills wife, neighbor before turning gun on himself
State police said Thomas Fusco, 65, and Marianne Dalvia, 69, were found dead in two separate neighboring residences.
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State police say two people were killed by a gunman in Wurtsboro who then turned the gun on himself in an incident the day after Christmas that prompted a massive multi-agency police response.
Authorities say Thomas Fusco, 65, was found fatally shot inside his lakefront home on Sunset Point Thursday morning, around 10:30 a.m., following a 911 call of a shooting. The incident prompted dozens of police to respond to the normally quiet rural neighborhood.
Authorities say a search warrant was obtained and that Richard Daloia, 72, was found dead in a residence next door along with 69-year-old Maryann Daloia, who neighbors identify as his wife. Officials say it’s believed Richard Daloia shot the two victims before fatally shooting himself.
Neighbors are stunned by the killings.
“Shock. I know them. My daughter went to kindergarten with their daughter,” says resident Charlie Burke.
“Tommy was there for everybody. Anything you asked, Tom was there. He was just a great guy,” says one neighbor who asked not to be identified.
News 12 was there while the police response shut down the area to traffic for hours and spoke to a woman who said she heard frightening sounds from one of the residences during the incident.
“I heard screaming. The one who was screaming was saying my life is over," says the woman, who asked not to be named.
On Friday, News 12 found a first-floor window at the Daloia residence broken and shattered glass on the sidewalk. It’s not clear if police broke the window to gain entry or if it was damaged during the shooting. State police say they obtained a search warrant to enter the home.
People in the close-knit community say both families have relatives who live in the area and local family ties that go back generations.
State police have not said what may have prompted the shootings, and the tragedy remains under investigation.
“They’re all friends. Everybody here is friends,” says Burke. “I don’t know.”
