Two Housemates Died of Natural Causes in Old Saybrook, Connecticut

OLD SAYBROOK - Two lifelong friends were found dead in their North Meadow Road home on Dec. 2.

While there originally was speculation of a murder-suicide or carbon monoxide poisoning, Old Saybrook Police Department Lieutenant Michael Spera said the two died of natural causes.

A daughter of one of the men called 911 at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 2 saying that she was unable to contact her father for several days and that a relative checking on the two found them unconscious and unresponsive.

Spera said police found 62-year-old Eugene Amoroso and 70-year-old Ronald Gebo deceased in separate rooms at their home located at 14 North Meadow Road, which is a rental property not far from the Elm Street side of the Old Saybrook Shopping Center.

Police wanted to "maintain the big picture focus and rule out possibilities," Spera said, and consequently summoned the Old Saybrook Fire Department.

The department serves as the "hazard materials operations level first responders for Old Saybrook," Spera explained, adding that after using meters, it was determined the air quality of the house was safe ruling out carbon monoxide poisoning.

The department requested assistance from the Connecticut State Police Major Crime Squad and worked with them throughout the night by gathering evidence and beginning an untimely death investigation.

"Old Saybrook Police kept the home secure until preliminary autopsy results were released by the State Medical Examiner's Office," Spera said, adding that those results were released on Dec. 3.

A spokeswoman from the State Medical Examiner's Office in Farmington said Gebo died of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, a hardening of the arteries with alcoholism listed as a significant condition.

The spokeswoman said Amoroso died of bronchopneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a condition that is caused by an obstruction in the flow of air into and out of the lungs.

"The department closed out the criminal investigation but the untimely death investigation remains open," Spera said.

That investigation will not be closed until toxicology results are returned to the department which is expected to take 12 to 17 weeks.

"It may tell us what exactly the cause of death was or may lend itself to telling which person died first, or it may not." Spera said.

It is possible that the results will pinpoint an exact day and time of death for both men.

Police do not know when or who last spoke with Gebo or Amoroso.

Relatives of Gebo could not be reached for comment.

Amoroso worked for Town Fair Tire as a delivery driver for the past 15 years.

Old Saybrook store manager Tom Powell said Amoroso "took a lot of pride in his job" and "always had a kind word for people."

"Even for his age and size he never complained even in all types of weather," Powell said, adding that delivery drivers are an important part of Town Fair Tire's business.

Amoroso barely missed a day of work but was out with the flu a week before his passing, Powell said.

"He was very dedicated and very organized and it will be tough not to have him around both personally and professionally," Powell said.