87-Year-Old Maryland Man Charged in Roommate Shooting After Pastor Turns Him In
Quick Look
- An 87-year-old Maryland man, Irwin Joseph Dickstein, was arrested and charged with first- and second-degree murder in the shooting death of his 63-year-old roommate, Michael Roy Bushnell, after a church pastor reported that Dickstein confessed to the killing.
- Police recovered a handgun from Dickstein’s vehicle following a welfare check at his Frederick home.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The incident occurred after an argument between Dickstein and Bushnell over electricity being switched off during an outlet repair, according to neighbors. Dickstein allegedly confessed to the shooting to a witness and disclosed the location before being turned in by a church pastor.
An 87-year-old Maryland man accused of killing his roommate was turned in by a church pastor, according to a report.
Irwin Joseph Dickstein allegedly admitted to the shooting when speaking to a witness and revealed where it happened, Frederick Police Department said in a statement.
When authorities subsequently conducted a welfare check at Dickstein’s address in Frederick, a city located around 50 miles from Baltimore, they found the body of 63-year-old Michael Roy Bushnell.
The older man was taken into custody and has since been charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree murder.
Court documents obtained by Fox 5 DC said the shooting occurred on Sunday September 20 after Dickstein and Bushnell had an argument. Neighbors told the outlet Bushnell claimed Dickstein had switched off their home’s electricity while repairing an outlet, causing the former to become upset.
An associate pastor at the Frederick Christian Fellowship later told the sheriff’s office one of his congregants had confessed to the killing, charging documents obtained by The Frederick News-Post state.
Separately, the sheriff’s office spoke with a man who had driven Dickstein to the Frederick Christian Fellowship. The man said the 87 year-old had placed an item in his car trunk, with the police recovering a handgun from a case found inside vehicle.
Police said Dickstein was arrested without incident and taken to the Frederick County Adult Detention Center, before appearing in front of a District Court commissioner.
“This remains an active and ongoing investigation,” police said in a press release.
Paula Brooks, an attorney at the Frederick County Public Defender’s Office, called for Dickstein to undergo a competency evaluation during a bail hearing, the News-Post reports. The judge declared that Dickstein will be held without bail until a competency hearing takes place.
Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office Spokesperson Jacqueline Rottman told the outlet that Dickstein will be granted a new bail review should he be found to be competent to stand trial.
“Regardless, we will ask he be held since he presents a danger to the community,” Rottman told the publication.
The Independent has contacted Rottman and the Frederick Christian Fellowship for comment.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Dickstein will undergo a competency evaluation to determine if he is fit to stand trial.
Very likely · Within weeks
If found competent, Dickstein will face a new bail review.
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What was the exact nature of the argument between Dickstein and Bushnell?
- Did Dickstein have a prior history of violence or mental health issues?
- What specific item did Dickstein place in the car trunk that led to the handgun recovery?
