Roosevelt Shaffer / Photo from Chicago Police
BY JON SEIDEL AND LEEANN SHELTON
Chicago Sun-Times
A 72-year-old man was ordered held on $500,000 bond Sunday, charged with stabbing his friend to death over a jacket at the retirement home where they both lived.
Roosevelt Shaffer, 72, is charged with one count of first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of Raymond Robinson, 69, at the Bethel Terrace Senior Living facility, according to police and prosecutors.
Robinson was stabbed in his chest about 10 a.m. Friday and taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, where he died about an hour later, authorities said.
The men, who were friends, lived at the facility at 900 W. 63rd St., prosecutors said.
Shaffer allegedly stabbed Robinson in with a boning knife after they argued about a jacket in the hallway outside Robinson’s room, according to court records.
Shaffer later admitted to the attack, prosecutors said. He said he thought he only “nicked” Robinson, and that the cut would require only a few stitches, according to court records.
After the stabbing, Shaffer went to his apartment, had a cigarette and washed the boning knife he used to stab Robinson, records show.
A witness saw the men standing together near the elevator and heard Robinson ask for an ambulance, prosecutors said.
Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. ordered Shaffer held on bond at a hearing Sunday.
According to a Chicago Police arrest report, Shaffer is a Gangster Disciples street gang member.