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Inset: Douglas Ervin (Dallas County Jail). Background: The 1100 block of Wake Drive in Richardson, Tex. (Google Maps).
An 81-year-old man in Texas is accused of murdering his roommate with a shotgun after he made a rude comment toward him before calmly calling 911 to report what he did — telling the dispatcher “nah, he’s dead” after being asked whether the victim was possibly still breathing, cops say.
Douglas Ervin, of Richardson, a Dallas suburb, is charged with murder for the death of 59-year-old Gregory Johnson at their home in the 1100 block of Wake Drive last Thursday, according to local police officials.
Ervin was arrested at the residence without incident after calling 911 to report what happened. A shotgun was recovered at the scene and police say they are still investigating what motivated Ervin to gun Johnson down with it. A third roommate was at the residence when the shooting occurred, but was not harmed.
When officers arrived last Thursday night, they found Ervin outside and reportedly asked who else was inside the home. “The guy I shot and [the other roommate],” Ervin’s arrest affidavit says, according to local Fox affiliate KDFW.
Johnson was found dead outside of a bedroom in the home, police say. It’s unclear whether the other roommate witnessed the shooting or not.
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After being taken into custody, Ervin allegedly told police that he and Ervin were feuding and Johnson made a rude comment toward him while walking past Ervin’s bedroom, which prompted him to retrieve the shotgun and start shooting. He claimed Johnson was a bad roommate who would often leave the front door open and lights on, KDFW reports.
According to police, Ervin allegedly admitted that Johnson was unarmed and not advancing toward him in any threatening way.
Online records show that Ervin is being held at the Dallas County Jail on a bond of $200,000.
