BOSTON, Sept. 25, 2017—A Dorchester man was arraigned on a murder charge today following his arrest by Boston Police for the stabbing death of his neighbor, 43-year-old Tony Massey, last week, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.
RODNEY BLOOMFIELD (D.O.B. 3/16/73) was arraigned on one count of murder for the Sept. 21 incident that claimed Massey’s life. At the request of Assistant District Attorney Mark Zanini, Dorchester Municipal Court Judge Jonathan Tynes ordered him held without bail.
Zanini told the court that the victim had hosted a party at his Bradshaw Street home on Sept. 16 that led to a verbal argument on Sept. 20 with Bloomfield, who lives at an adjacent property on Charlotte Street. The argument was over trash from the party, prosecutors said.
On the morning of Sept. 21, Zanini said, Massey and two young relatives were preparing to leave the home when Bloomfield approached them in the driveway with a knife and a trash bag and made statements threatening to kill Massey. Massey told him to back up, Zanini told the court, and exited the car with a knife of his own.
Bloomfield allegedly swung his knife at Massey, who backed up and also swung his knife. Massey tripped and fell the ground, Zanini said, where Bloomfield stood over him, stabbed him repeatedly, and said, “Are you ready to die today?” Bloomfield was also injured in the encounter, sustaining several stab wounds. He made additional threatening statements before leaving the scene.
Massey was rushed to Tufts Medical Center, where he died of his injuries. Bloomfield entered a vehicle, where he placed two knives, and drove away. He was later admitted to Boston Medical Center for treatment and was released Friday. Boston Police homicide detectives placed him under arrest at that time.
Anne Maher is the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate. Bloomfield was represented today by attorney Lorenzo Perez. He will return to court on Nov. 8.
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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
