Haddam Man Faces Murder Charge After Shooting Two at Westbrook Home

John Bongiovanni, 37, of Haddam, was charged with murder and attempted murder on Thursday after police said he fatally shot Katie Liljedahl, 44, and wounded her fiancé, Ryan Graham, 41, at their shared home in Westbrook. The incident occurred at a residence on East Pond Meadow Road, where state troopers responded to a disturbance call at approximately 5:25 p.m. on Oct. 28.

According to court records, Bongiovanni is being held on a $3 million bond ahead of a Nov. 10 appearance in state Superior Court in Middletown. The state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that Liljedahl died from gunshot wounds to the torso, classifying the manner of death as homicide. Graham sustained a gunshot wound to the chest and was transported to Hartford Hospital. A hospital spokesperson did not provide an update on his condition by Wednesday.

Police reports indicate that the initial 911 call came from a phone number registered to Bongiovanni. A dispatcher noted heavy breathing and yelling in the background. The first trooper on the scene found Bongiovanni in the driveway with his hands raised. He was handcuffed while a Westbrook police officer entered the house. That officer discovered Graham on the stairs, where he was receiving medical aid for his chest injury.

Graham stated that Bongiovanni forced entry into a bedroom and used a silver-colored revolver to shoot both victims. Liljedahl was found in the corner of the room nearest the doorway. A handgun was located on the floor near her body. Bongiovanni had minor facial abrasions and told a trooper, "I shot" and "I shot well." He also indicated he was under the influence of ketamine at the time of the shooting.

Following the issuance of search warrants, officers searched a first-floor room believed to be Bongiovanni's. Items found there included a silver-colored revolver, a rifle, a sword, and a cellphone. At Troop F in Westbrook, Bongiovanni requested an attorney and declined to speak further with investigators.

Erin DaCosta, Liljedahl's sister, said her sister had moved into Graham's house about two years prior. DaCosta described Graham as the love of her sister's life and noted that they wanted Bongiovanni, who had been renting space there for several years, to move out. "I don't know if my sister said something that provoked him," DaCosta said. Tommy Liljedahl, another sibling, described Graham as a trusted emergency dispatcher who was generous and devoted to helping Liljedahl manage her Lyme disease.

DaCosta said Liljedahl sent a text message unrelated to the shooting at 4:56 p.m. that day, noting that police arrived roughly 30 minutes later. "So whatever happened, happened fast," she said. Liljedahl's funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday at Saint Colman Church in Middlefield.