Massachusetts man charged with killing roommate over food dispute

On Thanksgiving in Marshfield, Massachusetts, Richard Lombardi, 65, pushed his 80-year-old roommate, Frank Griswold, after a dispute about food. Lombardi, concerned about Griswold sneezing near the meal, warned him and used salt and pepper as a barrier.

When Griswold approached the food, Lombardi shoved him, causing Griswold to fall and sustain fatal injuries. Griswold, who had a broken nose and neck injury, was found unresponsive. Lombardi, who called 911, faces involuntary manslaughter charges.

The two had been friends since the 1990s. Defense attorney Marshall Johnson argued that the fatal altercation was likely an accident, highlighting the long-standing friendship between the two men.

Lombardi had helped Griswold with daily tasks since the pandemic, but Johnson emphasised that this did not extend to medical care. Griswold sustained a broken nose and neck injury during the incident. The two men had known each other since the 1990s, when they worked together at Charles River Management.