MASSACHUSETTS (LOOTPRESS) – A Massachusetts man is in custody following the death of his 80-year-old roommate during a dispute over Thanksgiving meal preparations. Authorities allege that Richard Lombardi, 65, fatally injured Frank Griswold after an argument turned physical at their shared home in Marshfield, roughly 30 miles south of Boston.
Lombardi faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and assault and battery on a person over the age of 60 causing serious injury, according to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office.
The altercation reportedly stemmed from Griswold being too close to the kitchen area where food was being prepared. Prosecutors allege that Lombardi forcibly moved Griswold, causing him to fall and hit his head.
“[Lombardi] grabbed his back and threw Mr. Griswold to the right, tossing him to the side,” said Assistant District Attorney Joseph Presley during Lombardi’s court appearance on Friday. Presley added that Lombardi told police Griswold’s feet became tangled, leading to the fall.
Lombardi called 911 after discovering Griswold unconscious and bleeding on the kitchen floor. Emergency responders transported the victim to South Shore Hospital in Weymouth, where he later died. The medical examiner ruled the cause of death as blunt force injuries to the neck and head.
Court documents reveal that Lombardi was concerned Griswold might contaminate the food due to his sneezing. Earlier in the day, Lombardi reportedly argued with Griswold over his proximity to the food preparation area and later found him washing dishes near the sink.
First responders noted cuts on Griswold’s face and found him lying in a pool of blood.
Lombardi and Griswold had been friends since meeting in the 1990s while working in the financial services industry. The pair moved in together in 2001 and had lived in the Main Street home since 2008.
Defense attorney Marshall Johnson described Lombardi as “shocked and devastated” by the incident, noting that Lombardi only learned of Griswold’s death after his arrest. “He’s resigned,” Johnson said, adding that his client is struggling to process the loss of his longtime friend.
Lombardi pleaded not guilty during his court appearance on Friday and is being held without bail at the Plymouth County Jail. He is scheduled to appear in court again on December 4.
