Background: The 700 block of Largo Road in Key Largo, Florida (Google Maps). Inset: George Balboni (Monroe County Sheriff”s Office).
A Florida man allegedly tried to kill his roommate with a crossbow because of discarded alcohol, Sunshine State authorities say.
George Balboni, 61, has been charged with attempted murder, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office announced on Tuesday. The dispute reportedly occurred in the early morning hours of Tuesday — but had been brewing for longer.
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The suspect “lured” his 69-year-old roommate to a vehicle on their property “and tried to kill him by shooting him with an arrow,” deputies said, citing the alleged victim. But Balboni largely missed, with the roommate only suffering “a minor cut to his ear from the arrow.”
A larger fight subsequently broke out, with the roommate kicking him, taking the crossbow from Balboni and hitting him with it, knocking him to the ground, the sheriff’s office added. A booking photo of the suspect shows him with multiple cuts on his face — one between his eyes and another on his forehead.
When deputies arrived at the residence on the 700 block of Largo Road in Key Largo at about 6 a.m., it was the roommate who greeted them. He is said to have led them to Balboni, “who was lying in the front yard of the home and bleeding from the face.”
Authorities made sure to note that “there were several arrows on and near Balboni where he was found” — at least four, according to an arrest report reviewed by Law&Crime.
The suspect was reportedly resolute about what he had done.
“Balboni admitted to shooting the crossbow at the victim,” the sheriff’s office said, with the report adding that the suspect said “I tried to kill him.” Balboni allegedly described his roommate as a “parasite” and added that he “has no remorse” and was “sorry he missed the shot.”
The 61-year-old suspect was taken to a nearby hospital because of his head injuries. The alleged victim was not hospitalized at all, according to law enforcement officials, who provided a possible motive as they investigated what led to the fight.
The alleged victim and Balboni were “on and off roommates for seven years” and “have had a history of arguments,” per the report. A day and a half before the fight, “the two got into an argument and Balboni threatened to kill him,” leading the roommate to stay at a friend’s place, authorities said.
Their recent dispute reportedly began because the roommate “went through Balboni’s trash and removed a vodka bottle, believing it would make Balboni look bad to their landlord,” the report stated. “This upset Balboni who came up with a plan to kill [the roommate].”
Balboni later indicated to cops that he had “drank nearly the whole bottle that day,” per the report. He added that the roommate “sometimes sleeps on the floor at the Largo Road residence but doesn’t pay rent because he knows the landlord.”
On the morning of the attack, Balboni is said to have woken his roommate up “and asked him to take him to the hospital due to his rib hurting his lung” — a complaint later described as a “fake ailment.” Once the roommate was in the driver’s seat and Balboni was in the front passenger seat, he allegedly aimed the crossbow and shot.
The weapon — a Snake Eyes Mini Cobra crossbow — was reportedly later recovered by law enforcement and found to have blood on it. Blood was also apparently found on a leaf on a bush next to the victim’s vehicle.
“When asked what Balboni was going to do if he had killed [the victim], he indicated he hadn’t thought that far ahead,” the report states.
Balboni was arrested and booked into the Monroe County Detention Center. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Oct. 7.
