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Malden man sentenced for killing roommate with a samurai sword
Joshua Roush was found guilty of murdering Brian McDonald in 2021.
A Malden man was sentenced to life in prison last week for killing his roommate with a samurai sword following a screaming match inside their shared apartment.
Previously:
Joshua Roush, 46, was found guilty of first-degree murder following a seven-day trial earlier this month, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Malden Chief of Police Glenn Cronin said in a joint statement. Judge Cathleen Campbell sentenced Roush to life in prison without parole eligibility for murdering Brian McDonald, 34, in 2021.
Malden police responded to the Presley Street apartment on Aug. 15, 2021, for a report of a man bleeding following a possible fight, according to officials. Upon arrival, officers found McDonald lying on the sidewalk with “obvious and severe injuries,” Ryan and Cronin said. McDonald was pronounced dead at the scene.
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According to officials, McDonald and Roush had gotten into a loud verbal argument inside their apartment, and the altercation turned violent when Roush began attacking his roommate with a samurai sword. McDonald tried to flee the apartment but only made it as far as the sidewalk, Ryan and Cronin said.
Neighbors told police they heard yelling and banging from the apartment before seeing McDonald crawl outside, bleeding from his injuries, according to officials. Inside the apartment, officers reportedly found the bloody samurai sword, blood spatter in multiple rooms, and blood on Roush’s hands, clothes, and shoes.
A lawyer for Roush did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. Previous defense motions seeking funds for neuro-psychological evaluations indicated Roush has a “history of head trauma, substance abuse and traumatic experiences.”
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