FREDERICK, Md. - An 87-year-old Frederick man has been charged with murder after police found his roommate dead inside a Franklin Street residence Sunday, transforming a death investigation announced a day earlier into a homicide case.
The Frederick Police Department identified the victim Monday as 63-year-old Michael Roy Bushnell of Frederick. Police identified his roommate, Irwin Joseph Dickstein, 87, as the suspect.
Dickstein faces one count of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree murder. The charges are allegations, and he has not been convicted.
Police said the investigation began Sunday after the Frederick County Sheriff's Office notified city police that Dickstein had reportedly told a witness that he shot his roommate and provided the location where the incident allegedly occurred.
Frederick officers then went to the unit block of Franklin Street to conduct a welfare check. According to police, officers found the residence unsecured, entered the home and discovered Bushnell deceased inside.
Police located Dickstein at a separate location and took him into custody without incident. He was transported to the Frederick County Adult Detention Center for an appearance before a District Court commissioner.
Court records filed Monday show Dickstein was ordered held without bond following his initial appearance. A bail and bond review hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sept. 21 before Judge Dino E. Flores Jr. in Courtroom 1 at Frederick District Court.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 21 at 12:30 p.m. before Judge Brett J. Engler in Courtroom 3 at Frederick District Court.
The docket also shows Dickstein was found eligible for representation by the Maryland Office of the Public Defender, requested a preliminary hearing and was committed pending a hearing.
Police have not released additional details about the circumstances of Bushnell's death, including when investigators believe he died, a possible motive, the location of any firearm or other physical evidence collected during the investigation.
From death investigation to murder charges
The case was first disclosed Sunday evening when Frederick police announced that officers were conducting a death investigation in the unit block of Franklin Street.
At the time, the department did not identify the deceased person or say whether investigators believed a crime had occurred. Police said officers would remain in the neighborhood while the investigation continued and emphasized that there was no threat to the public.
Monday's announcement provided the first public account of how officers were led to the residence and confirmed that detectives had developed the case into a homicide investigation.
Police said investigators believe the killing was an isolated incident and that there is no ongoing threat to the community.
The department also thanked the Frederick County Sheriff's Office for assisting with the initial response. According to the police account, the sheriff's office played a key role by passing along the information that led Frederick officers to conduct the welfare check.
What the charges mean
Under Maryland law, first-degree murder includes a deliberate, premeditated and willful killing, as well as killings committed under several other circumstances specifically defined in state law. A first-degree murder conviction can carry a sentence of life imprisonment or, under applicable procedures, life without the possibility of parole.
Maryland law defines second-degree murder as murder that does not fall within the statutory definition of first-degree murder. A conviction for second-degree murder can carry a prison sentence of up to 40 years.
The fact that prosecutors or police file both counts does not mean Dickstein has been found responsible for either offense. The state would have to prove the applicable charge beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
Police have not released the specific evidence they believe establishes premeditation or otherwise supports the first-degree murder count. The department said it is withholding additional details to protect the integrity of the active investigation.
Key questions remain unanswered
The most important unresolved issue is what police believe happened inside the Franklin Street residence before Bushnell's death.
The department has not publicly described the relationship between Bushnell and Dickstein beyond identifying them as roommates. Police have not announced a suspected motive or described any dispute that may have preceded the killing.
Authorities also have not disclosed whether investigators recovered a firearm, whether an autopsy has established Bushnell's cause and manner of death, or whether anyone witnessed the incident itself.
The department's statement says only that Dickstein reportedly told a witness that he shot his roommate. That assertion comes from the police account of information provided during the investigation and has not yet been tested in court.
The case remains active
Frederick police listed the investigation under case number 2026-059966. Detective Stephen Radtke is the investigator assigned to the case.
Police are asking anyone with information about Bushnell's death to contact Radtke at 301-600-3321.
Dickstein remains held without bond as the case moves through Frederick District Court. His bail and bond review is scheduled for Sept. 21, followed by a preliminary hearing on Oct. 21.
The major development since Sunday's initial announcement is now established: Bushnell's death is being investigated as a homicide, his roommate has been arrested and charged with two counts of murder, Dickstein has been ordered held without bond, and police continue to describe the case as an isolated incident with no ongoing threat to the Frederick community.