On November 17, 2008, 52-year-old Anthony J. Valeriani Jr., a male, was found deceased in his Naples, Maine, home from a gunshot wound to the chest. His estranged wife, Patricia Valeriani, who was 46 at the time, admitted to shooting him. The couple, who had been married for over 20 years and had three adult children, had been separated since June of that year, with Patricia having filed for divorce in October.
On the day of the incident, Patricia had returned to their home on Valeriani
Road to retrieve some of her personal belongings. Following the shooting, she was cooperative with law enforcement. She was taken to Maine Medical Center for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Friends and those close to the family described both Anthony and Patricia as kind individuals and expressed shock and disbelief over the tragic events. Anthony had worked for the state crisis team for nearly 25 years.
The Maine State Police conducted a thorough investigation to determine if the shooting was justified. In February 2009, the Attorney General's Office announced its conclusion that Patricia Valeriani had acted in self-defense. Their investigation revealed that she had been held hostage by her estranged husband for 20 hours leading up to the shooting. Consequently, no charges were filed against her in connection with the death of Anthony Valeriani.
