Authorities Identify Three Victims in Montgomery Double Homicide and Suicide

Nicholas Mistretta

MONTGOMERY, NJ — Authorities have identified the three people found dead inside a Wild Azalea Lane residence last week and confirmed that the deaths of two women were homicides while the death of a man was ruled a suicide.

The Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office announced Tuesday that the two homicide victims were Lora Grodnick, 62, and Sloane Grodnick, 24, who were mother and daughter. Both died from gunshot wounds to the head, and the Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the manner of death in each case a homicide. The deceased man was identified as David Grodnick, 61, Lora Grodnick’s husband and Sloane Grodnick’s father. Authorities said his cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head and the manner of death was ruled a suicide.

Investigation Began With Welfare Check
According to Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald, Montgomery Township Police first received a request at approximately 2:59 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1, to check on the occupants of the Wild Azalea Lane residence. Officers responded but were unable to make contact with the occupants and began investigating their whereabouts. At approximately 5:52 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, Montgomery officers were able to enter the home. Inside, police found the two women deceased in separate bedrooms, both with apparent gunshot wounds. An adult man was also found dead inside the residence with what initially appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities said he was found in possession of a firearm. All three were pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset.

Authorities Say Incident Was Isolated
Following the postmortem examinations and continued investigation, authorities said the deaths of Lora and Sloane Grodnick were determined to be an isolated incident. “There are no threats to the public from this tragic occurrence,” the Prosecutor’s Office stated.The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities said no further information is available for release at this time. Detectives from the Montgomery Township Police Department, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and Crime Scene Investigation Unit, along with medical investigators from the New Jersey Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office, responded to investigate.

Authorities Continue to Seek Information
Anyone with information related to the investigation is asked to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 908-231-7100 or the Montgomery Township Police Department at 908-359-3222.

Anonymous information, including photographs and videos, may also be submitted through SCPO.TIPS, or through the Somerset County Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). Authorities said all tips will be kept confidential. The Prosecutor’s Office cautioned that the investigation remains preliminary and may evolve as detectives continue reviewing witness statements, physical and electronic records and forensic evidence.

Photo Credit: Nicholas Mistretta/headlinenewsmontgomery.com