Prosecutor: Hasbrouck Heights Man, 83, Shoots, Kills Tenant
HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- An an 83-year-old Bergen County homeowner shot and killed his tenant during a verbal argument in the man's home, prosecutors said.
Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli said John Wisse, of Hasbrouck Heights, was charged with aggravated manslaughter. His bail was set at $750,000 and it wasn't known if he has retained a lawyer.
Molinelli said Wisse called 911 to report the shooting shortly before 5 p.m. Saturday. When officers arrived, they found Wisse upstairs with a .38-caliber handgun.
Body found downstairs in rear of house Suspect called 911 at 1658 that downstairs tenant was shot Suspect found upstairs with 38 cal handgun
— John Molinelli (@johnlmolinelli) August 30, 2015
One neighbor told The Record newspaper she saw police arrive at the scene with their guns drawn.
The victim, 58-year-old Gerald Velardi Jr., lived downstairs at 1 Passaic St. He was shot in the chest and was found in the rear of the lower level.
Molinelli did not say what the men were arguing about. It wasn't clear whether anyone else lived in the home.
"From what I know, it's just a really quiet old man," neighbor Jason Eriksson told 1010 WINS' Carol D'Auria of Wisse. "He's having some hard breaks these days. The neighbor next door was tending to him as much as he could. I mean, he was asking for someone to drive and pick up groceries. He said he was having a hard time with his family. His family kind of deserted him in a way."
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