Mark Lynn Robinson, 69, faces a second-degree murder charge in connection with the death of Michael Menkes, 78. Police say Robinson surrendered after officers responded to gunfire at his Ocala home on Oct. 28 and told them he had shot Menkes and Charles Etheze, 69. WKRC/Local 12 reported that detectives are reviewing Robinson’s self-defense claim in Etheze’s shooting and that additional charges remain possible.
Evidence and competing accounts
Robinson told officers that Etheze had picked up a knife and that both men moved toward him; he said he felt threatened and fired multiple times at Etheze, according to the police account reported by Law&Crime. That is Robinson’s account, not a finding that the shooting was justified.
Police Chief Balken said evidence indicated Menkes was trying to leave the residence when he was shot in the back, a detail investigators cited in establishing probable cause for the murder charge, WKRC/Local 12 reported. The Ocala Star-Banner report republished by Yahoo said Menkes was found outside the home and Etheze was found dead inside. The men rented rooms in the house, which Robinson owned, according to WKRC/Local 12.
Police response and next steps
The first police dispatch came at 4:16 p.m. on Oct. 28, after a report of a disturbance. Chief Balken said the disagreement involved one man eating another’s ice cream; officers found no criminal activity and left. Police returned about an hour later following reports of gunfire, according to Ocala.com and WKRC/Local 12.
Balken said officers had been called to the residence three times during the past year and described Robinson as having a history of hostility toward roommates and neighbors, WKRC/Local 12 reported. Robinson appeared in court on Oct. 30 and is scheduled for another hearing on Dec. 1, according to WCJB and WKRC/Local 12.
