Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken called a fatal triple-roommate dispute “a ridiculous situation” at a Thursday press conference.
Mark Robinson, 69, stands accused of gunning down Charles Etheze, 69, and Michael Menkes, 78, at his Ocala home on Oct. 28 following a spat that began over stolen dessert, according to police. Robinson owned the residence and rented rooms to the two other men in what Balken described as a “Golden Girls”-style living arrangement gone deeply wrong.
The trouble started when one roommate accused another of eating his ice cream, sparking enough heat that someone called the police, Balken said. An officer responded to the home, interviewed all three men, and managed to restore calm.
“After interviewing these three men, our officers determined the dispute really had something to do with someone eating someone else’s ice cream, if you can believe that,” Balken said.
That peace lasted roughly an hour. When the argument reignited, Robinson allegedly shot one tenant in his front yard and the other inside the home, according to police. Robinson told officers he acted in self-defense after one man rushed him with a knife, police said.
The chief directly challenged that account regarding Menkes. Menkes was allegedly shot in the back as he was running away, Balken said.
Balken painted a stark portrait of the homeowner’s temperament and habits. “It’s clear that the homeowner, quite frankly, was an angry old man that had some alcohol problems and could get nasty with not only his neighbors but his tenants as well,” he said.
The chief did not mince words about the household dynamic overall, labeling the arrangement “dysfunctional.”
Robinson now faces one count of second-degree murder for allegedly shooting Menkes, according to WFTV 9. Police continue to investigate his self-defense claims regarding both shootings.
Robinson remains in custody and is due in court Dec. 1.