Mr. Giovanditto moved to Celebration in 2004. He lived with his Chihuahua, Lucy, neighbors said. His house was a popular destination for trick-or-treaters, and he frequently weighed in on the Front Porch, a kind of Facebook for Celebration residents.

“He was a good guy online,” said Alex Morton, the publisher of the monthly Celebration Independent and one of the first people to buy a house when the subdivision opened in 1996.

“This town is all corporate executives and golden parachuters,” said Mr. Morton, who was holding up the printing of his paper until he had more news on the murder and, now, the standoff happening a few blocks from his tiny newspaper office.

The killing of Mr. Giovanditto was a crack in the facade of this community, a 10-minute drive from Disney World, that was just too hard to ignore — especially with the standoff coming right on its heels.

“It’s like Manhattan!” said Vince Cassaro. He ought to know. The former Connecticut resident worked in New York City before moving his family here 12 years ago.

Had residents ever seen a SWAT team in town before?

“Maybe for the Boy Scouts when they do a display, but that’s about it,” said Jeffry Ewing, a resident who had to stop work on a house renovation that was within the police perimeter.