Landlord blasted 2 tenants with 12-gauge shotgun during dispute about eating his ice cream: Police

A 69-year-old landlord successful Florida is accused of killing his 2 tenants, fatally shooting some men during a quality astir 1 of them allegedly eating his crystal cream.

Mark Lynn Robinson is facing 1 number of second-degree execution successful the slayings of Charles Etheze, 69, and Michael Menkes, 78, authorities announced.

Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken provided a summary of the allegations against Robinson successful a news conference.

According to Balken, OPD officers responded astatine astir 4:16 p.m. connected Oct. 28 to a reported "disturbance" astatine a location successful the 1000 artifact of Southeast Eighth Street. When officers arrived, they met 3 men who lived successful the location and determined that "the quality truly had to bash with idiosyncratic eating idiosyncratic else's crystal cream, if you tin judge that."

There were nary transgression violations astatine that clip and "peace was restored" earlier Etheze and Menkes near the location connected ft to instrumentality a walk.

"In the end, I person a precise young serviceman trying to calm 3 60- to 70-year-old men down implicit crystal cream," Balken said. "It's a ridiculous concern to hap anywhere, overmuch little successful Ocala."

About an hr later, constabulary responded to a 2nd telephone from the aforesaid address, this clip regarding a study of shots being fired. Officers instantly located a antheral successful beforehand of the location suffering from a gunshot wound.

Robinson, the homeowner, surrendered to approaching officers "and past instantly indicated that helium had conscionable changeable some of his roommates," according to the chief.

Officers clearing the location located the 2nd unfortunate inside. Both men were pronounced dormant soon afterward.

"During the preliminary investigation, Robinson told our detectives that aft our officers near that archetypal disturbance call, helium feared thing was going to hap erstwhile they returned, truthful helium retrieved a 12-gauge shotgun from his chamber and placed that connected the sofa successful the surviving room," Balken said. "When his 2 roommates returned from the walk, helium indicated that a 2nd altercation began. He said Mr. Etheze equipped himself with a weapon and some individuals rushed toward him. He said that helium felt threatened and past fired the shotgun astatine Mr. Etheze aggregate times."

Robinson besides allegedly told constabulary that erstwhile his roommates got home, 1 of them made a remark astir being the "ice pick bandits."

Robinson allegedly changeable Menkes successful the backmost arsenic the older antheral attempted to tally from the home. According to Balken, grounds showed Menkes was trying to fly the residence, which Balken said provided capable probable origin for the execution charge.

Balken said the probe remains ongoing and further charges against Robinson whitethorn beryllium filed. He added that detectives volition scrutinize Robinson's self-defense assertion successful the Etheze shooting.

While taking questions from reporters, Balken described Robinson arsenic an "angry aged antheral with immoderate intoxicant problems" who was successful a "dysfunctional surviving arrangement." He said officers had responded to the location 3 times successful the past year. He added that Robinson had a inclination to "get nasty" with his roommates arsenic good arsenic his neighbors.

"He's been cantankerous successful the neighborhood, to accidental the least," the main said.

Balken said constabulary judge 1 of the victims ate Robinson's crystal cream.

Robinson made his archetypal quality successful tribunal Friday. He is scheduled to look for different proceeding connected Dec. 1, records show.