A 76-year-old woman, Patricia Novak, was fatally shot by her 82-year-old husband of 57 years, Robert Novak, in an accidental shooting inside their New Jersey home last Friday, April 5.
Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone said that Edison, New Jersey police were dispatched to the scene on Glencourt Avenue following a 911 call made at about 2:09 p.m. about an accidental shooting. Upon arrival, officers found Patricia Novak with a gunshot wound. She was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, where she was pronounced dead.
An investigation led by Edison Detective Christian Paone and Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Jose Rosario revealed that Robert Novak was attempting to clear a registered firearm in a first-floor room when the gun discharged. The bullet penetrated the floor to the basement, where it struck his wife.
Robert Novak, after hearing his wife screaming, went immediately to the basement and called 911 for help. He has been cooperative with the investigation, providing detailed information to the detectives.
Authorities recovered the weapon at the scene.
The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office and the Edison Police Department are investigating the circumstances of the shooting. The community and the Novak family are mourning the loss of Patricia Novak, as the investigation continues to find out all the details of the incident.
In a rare glimpse into their life, Patricia Novak had shared their anniversary photo in 2016 during a trip to Hawaii, terming it a “golden” anniversary.
According to her obituary, Patricia grew up in Edison and worked as a secretary. She met her husband Robert on a blind date. They married on September 24, 1966, and settled in Edison, where together they raised their family. She is survived and mourned by her husband Robert, her daughter, her son, and her grandchildren.
