A roommate fight at a Miami assisted living facility leads to murder: cops

A 79-year-old man living at an assisted living facility in Flagami told police that his roommate pulled a gun on him, leading him to strangle and kill him, police say.

Miami Police say no gun was found in their room and now the man is charged with murder.

Jerome John Babij had shared a room with the victim for six months at Princess Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 5120 NW Fourth Terrace, and there were no reports of any issues between the two of them before, according to police.

Witnesses told police they entered the room Tuesday morning and saw Babij sitting on the bed with the victim on the floor between his legs, choking him. Babij reportedly told them, “He’s trying to kill me,” before they pulled him off—at which point he kicked the victim in the head and leg.

“The defendant became very aggressive towards the witnesses and began swinging both arms in an attempt to strike...” an arrest report read. He also grabbed a fire extinguisher and tried to attack the witnesses with it, according to police.

He tried to go back into the room but witnesses held him down until police arrived.

Babij was taken to the Jackson Memorial Hospital for minor injuries to his hand, and while on the way, he told police that his roommate pulled a gun on him. When police went back and searched the room, they found no guns.

His roommate was later pronounced dead at the same hospital. Police have not released the name of the man.

When reached by the Miami Herald on Wednesday, the facility’s manager and registered owner, Jennifer Cardoso, declined to comment.

Babij is charged with second-degree murder and remained locked up at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as of Wednesday morning with a bond status of “to be set.”