Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding a shooting that left a Naples man dead Monday.

Police found Anthony Valeriani dead in his home at 55 Valeriani Road with a gunshot wound to his chest soon after 1 p.m. Police said his wife, Patricia Valeriani, told them she shot him.

“She is cooperative,” said Lt. Brian McDonough with the Maine State Police. “She has admitted to shooting her husband.”

After being questioned by police, Patricia Valeriani was taken to Maine Medical Center Monday to be treated for injuries. Police declined to discuss the details of her injuries, but said they were not life-threatening.

Police hadn’t determined Monday whether Patricia Valeriani would face any charges in the shooting. McDonough said investigators would be collecting statements from witnesses and family members to determine whether Patricia Valeriani was justified in shooting her husband. She would be justified if she were defending her own or another’s life, according to McDonough.

“It’s just too early to tell,” McDonough said.

Police say the couple had been married for 23 years, but had been estranged since June. Patricia Valeriani had been staying with a family member and Monday had returned to the home to retrieve some belongings. The couple has children, McDonough said.

The Maine State Police investigate a homicide at 55 Valeriani Drive in Naples Monday. Patricia Valeriani admitted to shooting her estranged husband, Anthony Valeriani.


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