An 87-year-old man from Frederick, Maryland, has been arrested and charged with the murder of his roommate following a dispute over an electrical outlet. Irwin Joseph Dickstein faces charges of both first-degree and second-degree murder in connection with the death of 63-year-old Michael Roy Bushnell.
The Frederick Police Department initiated their investigation on September 20 after receiving a tip from the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office regarding a potential homicide. According to a press release, Dickstein allegedly confessed to a witness that he shot Bushnell and provided details about where the incident took place.
Officers conducted a welfare check at the residence, where they found the door unsecured. Inside, they discovered Bushnell, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Following the incident, Dickstein was located at a different site and taken into custody without any issues. Reports indicate that the two men had a history of disagreements related to electrical work in their shared home. A neighbor mentioned that Bushnell had previously told him about a confrontation with Dickstein, who was upset after Bushnell turned off the power while attempting to fix an outlet.
Witnesses reported hearing loud arguments between the two men before several gunshots rang out around 5:30 a.m. that morning. Later that day, Dickstein attended a service at the Frederick Christian Fellowship Church, where he allegedly confided in a pastor about the shooting. The pastor then notified the police around 10:30 a.m.
During questioning, Dickstein reportedly admitted to the murder, identifying Bushnell as the victim and confirming his presence in the home at the time of the shooting. After making his confession, he declined to answer further questions without legal representation.
A man who drove Dickstein to the church also spoke with investigators, stating that Dickstein had expressed a need to speak with a pastor and had left what appeared to be a firearm in the trunk of his vehicle. Following this information, police secured a search warrant and found a Beretta handgun in the vehicle.
Dickstein is currently held at the Frederick County Jail without bond. It remains unclear whether he has entered a plea, but he has been assigned a public defender. A competency hearing is scheduled for October 13.
