Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Totowa Police Chief Carmen Veneziano announce that at approximately 11:40 a.m. today, officers responded to the Ramada Inn located at 1 Route 46 West in Totowa on a report of a deceased male discovered inside of a hotel room.
Upon their arrival, officers were able to identify the deceased as Gary Potenzone, Jr., 41, from Totowa.
Police say the investigation revealed that hotel staff went to the room to conduct a welfare check when Mr. Potenzone failed to check out as scheduled. There were no signs of physical force or violence at the scene, and the police do not believe there is any imminent danger to anyone in community.
The State Medical Examiner’s office has been contacted and will be responding to the scene to conduct an investigation.
The cause and manner of death are pending the results of an autopsy which will most likely be conducted sometime next week. The investigation remains active and ongoing.
The Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office asks anyone with additional information about this incident to contact us on our tips line at 1-877-370-PCPO or tips@passaiccountynj.org or contact the Totowa Police Department at 973-790-3700.