Suicide of Marine veteran shock to friends after standoff

What happened? Someone needed help and Justin Eldridge showed up. When you read this story you'll see how many times he did that. A 911 call, police show up, Eldridge's life was over.

Former Marine’s suicide in Waterford standoff shocks friends
The Day
By Izaskun E. Larrañeta
Published 10/29/2013

Sean D. Elliot/The Day file photo In this Dec. 21, 2011, Day file photo, Justin Eldridge, right, of Toys for Tots, pulled toys from the back of a mini-van as crew from the U.S. Navy submarine Pre-Commissioning Unit North Dakota (SSN 784) help unload about 200 toys for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program in New London.

Eldridge was married with four children. His wife helped organize a fundraiser this June to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. While promoting the event, Joanna spoke of the struggles her husband had with PTSD and with his traumatic brain injury.

A Waterford man who killed himself during a standoff with police Monday night was a former Marine who was struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder, his friends said Tuesday.

Many of Justin Eldridge’s fellow Marines said it was too soon to talk about the death of their “brother,” who they said was also dealing with a traumatic brain injury sustained while on tour in Afghanistan.

Eldridge, 31, was the first commandant of the Thames River Detachment of the Marine Corps League in Quaker Hill.

Robert Montminy, commandant of the Thames River Detachment, said Eldridge was a good friend and great father.

“We are all very much still in shock,” he said. “We’re still trying to deal with it. Nobody had a clue that it could lead to this.”

Montminy said he knew that Eldridge had struggled with PTSD but that Eldridge told him he was getting treatment at a Veterans Affairs hospital and was trying to turn things around.

Just prior to police receiving the 911 call, Eldridge posted on his Facebook page, “See you later Facebook!!!!!!!” He then posted, “Theres only so much bashing someone can take before they react.”
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