John Bongiovanni held on $3 million bond after killing Katie Liljedahl
The suspect, who told troopers he shot well, faces murder and attempted murder charges in the East Pond Meadow Road shooting.
By Michael Bennett ·
John Bongiovanni, 37, of Haddam, is being held on a $3 million bond after state police charged him with killing Katie Liljedahl, 44, and shooting her fiancé, Ryan Graham, 41. The incident occurred on Oct. 28 at Graham’s home on East Pond Meadow Road in Westbrook.
State troopers arrived at the residence around 5:25 p.m. on a reported disturbance. A dispatcher heard heavy breathing and yelling during the initial call, which originated from a number registered to Bongiovanni. The first trooper on scene found the suspect in the driveway moving with his hands above his head. A Westbrook police officer entered the home and located Graham on the second floor stairs, where he sustained a gunshot wound to the chest.
Police located Liljedahl in a corner of the bedroom near the doorway. She suffered apparent gunshot wounds to the torso. The state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the cause of death was gunshot wounds and the manner of death was homicide. Graham was transported to Hartford Hospital for treatment. A hospital spokesperson did not provide an update on his condition as of Wednesday.
Bongiovanni told officers at the scene, “I shot” and “I shot well.” He also indicated that he was under the influence of ketamine at the time of the shooting. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, the substance distorts perceptions of sight and sound and can make users feel disconnected. Bongiovanni declined to speak with investigators at Troop F and requested an attorney.
Search warrants revealed a first-floor room with a washer and dryer that police believed belonged to Bongiovanni. Officers found a silver-colored revolver, a rifle, a sword, and a cellphone in the space. Graham stated that Bongiovanni forced entry to the bedroom and used the revolver to shoot both victims. Liljedahl’s sister, Erin DaCosta, said her sister had moved into Graham’s home about two years ago. She noted that Liljedahl sent a text message unrelated to the shooting at 4:56 p.m., suggesting the event unfolded quickly.
DaCosta said she did not know much about Bongiovanni and speculated that her sister may have asked him to move out. Tommy Liljedahl, Katie’s brother, said Bongiovanni had rented space in the home for several years before Katie moved in. He described Graham, a Westbrook area emergency dispatcher, as generous and devoted to Katie’s care for Lyme disease. Tommy Liljedahl called it unfathomable that Graham would trust the person who lived in his house.
Bongiovanni is scheduled to appear in state Superior Court in Middletown on Nov. 10. Liljedahl’s funeral is set for 11 a.m. Thursday at Saint Colman Church in Middlefield.
