An 18-year-old man is behind bars after he allegedly beat a 68-year-old man to death in a garage at a Pennsylvania home, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office.
Brian Deante Gray is charged with criminal homicide.
The Manheim Township Police Department received a call around 6:30 a.m. to a home in the 1000 block of North Duke Street for an unknown issue. The caller said there had been an accident inside the home but refused to give more details.
When cops arrived at the home, a witness said “My son killed my roommate,” prosecutors said.
The witness told officers to go to the detached garage where they found a man, later identified as 68-year-old Michael Pfender, who had visible injuries to his face and head and showed no signs of life.
Brian Deante Gray, pictured, is behind bars after he allegedly beat 68-year-old Michael Pfender to death in a garage at a Pennsylvania home, cops say. (Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office)
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Another witness told officers that Pfender lived in the garage where he was found dead. They told cops that a group of people, including Gray and Pfender, were hanging out in the garage earlier in the night. Gray became upset when Pfender said something he considered “disrespectful.” But witnesses said they thought the situation was over and everyone went their separate ways in the home.
One of the roommates was playing video games in their room around 4 a.m. when Gray knocked on his door and said Pfender wasn’t breathing, Penn Live reported, citing a probable cause arrest affidavit.
“I killed Mike,” Gray reportedly told another roommate. Gray then came up with “farfetched ideas” like trying to get rid of Pfender’s body, but the roommates instead decided to call 911, the affidavit reportedly says.
Prosecutors said the Lancaster County Coroner’s Office determined the cause of death to be multiple traumatic injuries and the manner to be a homicide. Pfender also had a defensive wound on his right hand, according to authorities.
Gray turned himself into the Lancaster City police station later Monday morning. He’s being held in the Lancaster County Prison without bail. His next court hearing is scheduled for Dec. 18.
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