Tarpon Springs man murdered roommate after poker game because he was tired of being 'put down:' Affidavit

TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. - New details released in an affidavit allege that a Tarpon Springs man shot his roommate to death earlier this week because he was tired of being ‘put down’ and ‘verbally abused.’

According to the affidavit, Richard Lewis, 54, shot his roommate, a 45-year-old man, three times with the roommate's shotgun in his bed early Tuesday morning at around 2:30 a.m. 

READ: Suspect charged with murder after man shot, killed in Tarpon Springs home: Police

The two had been drinking and playing poker at a local bar and, according to the affidavit, when Lewis got back to their home, he was aggravated and went to the victim's room, grabbed his shotgun, and shot him to death with it.

Police responded to the 1100 block of Clarissa Court early on April 16. 

Lewis later told authorities he was tired of constantly being ‘put down,’ ‘verbally abused,’ and being ‘insulted in front of my friends.’ 

The affidavit states Lewis was aggravated when he got home and took the shotgun from beside his roommate's bed, loaded it with three shotgun rounds, cycled all three rounds, and ensured the safety was off before the victim arrived home.

When his roommate got home, Lewis walked in the back door and fired one round at him, at which point Lewis said he could hear the victim saying ‘Ow, ow, ow.’ He then chambered a second and third round and fired them.

Courtesy: Pinellas County Sheriff's Office

Then, Lewis walked outside, threw the shotgun into the yard, and sat on an outside couch, waiting for law enforcement to arrive. The victim was ultimately pronounced dead at Advent Health North Pinellas later that morning.

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He told authorities afterward that he ‘did it because I wanted to,’ and ‘It was not an accident.’ Lewis was charged with murder in the first degree and is being held in the Pinellas County Jail without bond.