Man kills 80-year-old ‘sneezing’ roommate after he got too close to his dinner plate

An argument over Thanksgiving food led to the death of an 80-year-old man allegedly caused by his roommate.

A fight over a Thanksgiving dinner led to the tragic death of a Massachusetts man after his roommate attacked him for allegedly sneezing on the food. The roommate, Robert Lombardi, 65, is accused of involuntary manslaughter for killing Frank Griswold, 80, after he pushed him during a fight over "holiday meal preparations" at their Marshfield home.

The man explained that he did not want his roommate, who "often sneezes," to "sneeze or contaminate the food" .(Representational)

Marshfield Police received a 911 call reporting an unconscious man on the floor of the kitchen. When police reached the house, they discovered Griswold "bleeding from the head" and also noticed a laceration to his forehead and a fracture in his neck. He was rushed to the hospital but he died of his injuries.

Roommate ‘often sneezed’

Initial investigation showed that the man's roommate pushed him after the two fought over a holiday meal and Griswold fell to the floor and hit his head before going unconscious.

The roommate told the police that he was preparing a Thanksgiving lunch and "got in an argument with Frank Griswold and that he did not want him in the kitchen touching the food."

Lombardi explained that he did not want his roommate, who "often sneezes," to "sneeze or contaminate the food" that was being prepared for Thanksgiving.

"He did see the victim, Mr. Griswold, near that food doing dishes, said that he went over and grabbed Mr. Griswold from behind, grabbed his back and threw Mr. Griswold to the right and tossed him to the side," the prosecutor told Mirror US.

Man charged for murder

Panicked, Lombardi called 911 and was later taken into custody. He has entered a not guilty plea to charges of assault and battery on a person over 60 and involuntary manslaughter.

The two men had been renting their Marshfield house since 2008, and they had been living together since 2001.

The authorities are still investigating the cause and manner of death.