A Massachusetts man was charged with manslaughter for slaying his roommate over the Thanksgiving holiday.
Richard Lombardi, 65, faces charges of assault and battery on a person over 60 that caused severe injury, alongside involuntary manslaughter, according to officials from the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office.
Police reports claim Lombardi fatally injured 80-year-old Frank Griswold after allegedly shoving him for standing too close to the food being prepared for their holiday meal.
Roommate charged with manslaughter
This incident unfolded on Wednesday at the residence in Marshfield that the two men had shared since 2008.
While preparing dishes for a Thanksgiving celebration, Lombardi allegedly tried to push Griswold away from the cooking area.
Prosecutor Joseph Presley revealed in court, that he “grabbed his back and tossed Mr. Griswold to the side.
Lombardi believed Griswold’s feet became entangled, causing him to fall and hit his head on the floor as he landed, which caused fatal injuries.
Lombardi reportedly contacted emergency services once he noticed Griswold was lying unconscious and bleeding, unable to lift himself off the floor himself.
When questioned by investigators, Lombardi allegedly explained his actions, saying Griswold frequently sneezed and he wanted to avoid any contamination of the food near the sink.
He admitted to arguing earlier in the day, with frustrations boiling over due to Griswold’s proximity to the dishes and food being handled in the kitchen.
Later that same day, Lombardi reportedly found Griswold washing dishes near the cooking area, an action that seemed to aggravate him further.
Documents submitted in court also suggest Griswold showed facial injuries, including visible cuts.
Presley shared additional details in court, stating, “He was seen laying face-up on the floor in the kitchen in a pool of blood.”
Griswold was rushed to South Shore Hospital in Weymouth, where he was pronounced dead.
Medical professionals determined that the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and neck.
Long-time friend charged with manslaughter
According to his defense attorney, Marshall Johnson, Lombardi was uncontrollably shaken by the loss of his decades-long friend.
“He’s shocked because no one had told him that his friend had passed away until I told him this morning,” Johnson stated. “So naturally that’s had quite a devastating effect on him mentally.”
Lombardi was also visibly distraught when he entered a plea of not guilty in court on Friday.
Meanwhile, in an entirely separate incident, a dispute about loud music led to a tragedy on Thanksgiving Day.
Hureleyon McLean, a 72-year-old grandfather, was fatally shot by his neighbor in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida.
The shooting occurred around 3:30 PM on Thanksgiving Day, as confirmed by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office.
Reports indicate the shooter fired a single shot to McLean’s head, leaving him lifeless as he lay on the ground.
First responders arrived to see the armed neighbor standing nearby, holding a firearm.
The shooter claimed self-defense but has yet to be publicly identified as law enforcement continues its investigation.
Wife disputes shooter’s claim
McLean’s grieving wife, Rose, disputed the neighbor’s claim of self-defense.
“My husband didn’t have any weapons,” she told reporters. “My husband didn’t even have a knife on him.”
“He was playing his music, and the guy said he was playing it too loud,” she told WTVJ. “So my husband, he went down to him.”
Rose ran to the door after hearing the sound, only to see her husband face down and blood pooling beneath him.
Speaking of the gunman, she told WSVN, “He was just standing, looking at me with his gun in his hand.”
“And I go up to him and say, ‘Why did you shoot my husband? Why?’ And he said to me, ‘If I didn’t shut my mouth, he would shoot me, too,’” she added.
