Roommates Argued Over Who Ate the Ice Cream. Hours Later, 2 Were Dead and Third Was Under Arrest

At 4:16 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, Ocala police received a call about a verbal disturbance among three men— a homeowner and his two tenants who rented rooms at his residence on SE 8th Street.

“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,” Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken said at a news conference Thursday.

No crimes were reported at the time and “peace was restored,” Balken said. The two tenants went for a walk before officers left the scene. But about an hour later, police received a 911 call about shots being fired at the same residence.

When officers returned to the home, they found the tenants had been shot — one was in the front yard and the other was inside the home. The men, who were 69 and 78, succumbed to their injuries.

The homeowner, Mark Robinson, 69, surrendered and allegedly told officers he had shot them both, Balken said.

Robinson told detectives that after officers left following the initial call, he feared things would escalate after his roommates returned from their walk so he armed himself with a 12-gauge shotgun, according to Balken.

Robinson allegedly said a second altercation began upon his roommates’ return and one of the men armed himself with a knife. Robinson also claimed his roommates rushed toward him and he felt threatened so he fired his gun multiple times.

One of his roommates tried to flee and Robinson shot him in the back as he was running away, Balken said.

The police chief said evidence indicates one of the roommates was trying to flee when he was shot and that, along with witness accounts and Robinson’s alleged statements, led to his arrest on a single count of second-degree murder. Balken said additional charges are possible and that authorities are exploring whether self defense was a motive in the other killing. He also said a knife was recovered from the scene.

“Our detectives, safe to say, they’ll be working with our prosecutors and any charges that we can bring, they’ll be bringing forward as quickly as possible,” Balken said.

He described the living arrangement as “dysfunctional.”

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“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,” Balken alleged.

Robinson remains in custody. He is next due in court on Dec. 1.

Photo։ Ocala Police Department / Facebook