A 65-year-old Massachusetts man, Richard Lombardi, has been taken into custody following the death of his 80-year-old housemate, Frank Griswold. The incident, which occurred during a disagreement over Thanksgiving meal preparations, has led to Lombardi being charged with assault and battery on a person over 60, causing serious injury, and involuntary manslaughter, according to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office.
The altercation took place in Marshfield, a town roughly 30 miles south-southeast of Boston, in the home the two men had cohabited for several years. The conflict reportedly began when Lombardi tried to physically remove Griswold from the food preparation area, resulting in Griswold falling and striking his head.
Prosecutor Joseph Presley detailed the incident in court, stating that Lombardi forcefully moved Griswold, causing him to fall. Lombardi subsequently dialed 911 upon discovering Griswold unconscious and bleeding on the floor.
Court documents indicate that Lombardi informed police that Griswold had a tendency to sneeze and he was concerned about him contaminating the food. Lombardi confessed to having a disagreement with Griswold earlier that day about him handling the food. Later, Lombardi saw Griswold washing dishes, which he considered too close to the food.
The court records also imply that Griswold may have been struck in the face, as lacerations were discovered on his face. Emergency personnel transported Griswold to South Shore Hospital in Weymouth, where he was later declared dead due to blunt force trauma to the neck and head.
The two men had been friends since the 1990s, having met in the financial services sector. They had been roommates since 2001 and had lived in the Main Street house since 2008. Lombardi, who pleaded not guilty in court on Friday, was reportedly stunned by the events that resulted in the death of his friend and his own incarceration. Defense attorney Marshall Johnson said, “He’s shocked because no one had told him that his friend had passed away until I told him this morning. So naturally that’s had quite a devastating effect on him mentally.” Lombardi is currently detained in the Plymouth County Jail without bail and is due to appear in court again on Dec. 4.