CONTACT: Nathan Lederman 508-584-8120
BROCKTON – A Marshfield man has been indicted on a manslaughter charge by a Superior Court grand jury in connection with the November death of his roommate, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz has announced.
Richard Lombardi, 66, was indicted on one count of Involuntary Manslaughter Friday. He pleaded not guilty to related charges in Plymouth District Court shortly after his arrest.
On the afternoon of November 27, Marshfield Police received a 911 call for a report of an unconscious male on the floor of the kitchen located at 853 Main Street. Police and emergency medical personnel responded and located the victim — later identified as 80-year-old Frank Griswold — unconscious and bleeding from the head. Griswold was transported to South Shore Hospital where he died of his injuries.
Marshfield Police contacted the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit Assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office, and an investigation commenced.
Preliminarily, through their investigation, detectives found that Lombardi — Griswold’s long-term roommate — shoved the victim following a disagreement over Thanksgiving holiday meal preparations. Griswold subsequently fell to the floor and struck his head, suffered a laceration to his forehead, and a fractured neck. Marshfield Police officers subsequently arrested Lombardi.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Alex Zane and Jennifer Schmidt, and was investigated by Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office and the Marshfield Police Department.