City man stabbed to death; neighbor charged with murder

PLATTSBURGH — A Plattsburgh man is dead after a stabbing at a downtown apartment building Sunday evening that was apparently prompted by an argument over stolen beer.

Plattsburgh City Police are investigating the death of Richard "Dickey" J. Bombard, 49, at 1 Pine St., a three-story apartment building just up the street from the Police Station, at about 8 p.m. Sunday.

Otis Lee Grenton Jr., 49, of 9 Broad St. was arraigned Monday morning before City Court Judge Mark Rogers, charged with second-degree murder and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, both felonies.

Bombard had been staying with Michael Brunell, who lives in Apartment No. 1, when the stabbing took place in the backyard of their building.

"I was in shock," Brunell told the Press-Republican. "I couldn't believe it. It happened right in front of me."

ARGUED

Brunell said it all started as an argument between Bombard and Grenton, who lives in the building next door.

Bombard allegedly confronted Grenton about constantly helping himself to beer, food and cigarettes from Brunell's apartment, and the argument escalated.

Brunell said Bombard punched Grenton in the face and broke one of his teeth.

Grenton then went to his own apartment next door, returned with a kitchen knife, stabbed Bombard in the belly and then moved the knife upward, Brunell said.

Bombard fell onto the table next to Brunell and then onto the ground. 

Matt Turner, 19, a resident of the same building as Bombard and Brunell, also witnessed the stabbing.

“He (Grenton) just came up to him and stuck the knife in his chest,” Turner said.

“He pulled the knife out and just left.”

Turner confirmed that Grenton had been confronted by Bombard earlier in the evening.

Grenton left angry and then came back later with the knife, Turner said.

“He’s done stuff like this before, threatening people with a knife, but this is the first time I ever seen him blow up like that,” he said.

MOVED TO HELP

Brunell said an upstairs neighbor called 911, and police were there almost immediately, quickly followed by EMTs.

A neighbor applied pressure to the wound and provided CPR until emergency responders arrived, he said.

Turner said everyone was concerned about Bombard and rushed to help him.

“There was blood everywhere,” he said.

Bombard was rushed to CVPH Medical Center, but he did not survive.

ARRESTED QUICKLY

Police Chief Desmond Racicot said it appears that Grenton swung a steak knife at Bombard twice and missed before connecting the third time.

Grenton then headed west on Broad Street, City Police said.

Police secured the area, blocking off Broad Street from the intersection of Durkee Street to Margaret Street during the investigation.

Racicot said Grenton was captured by police not far away a short while after the incident.

"It was a bad Sunday night for a lot of people," Racicot said.

District Attorney Andrew Wylie and his office participated in the investigation.

At his court appearance, Grenton was sent to Clinton County Jail without bail, due back Wednesday, Sept. 3.

PAST ARRESTS

Grenton has a long list of criminal activity in the Syracuse area of Onondaga County.

He has been in and out of the criminal-justice system there numerous times since the 1980s, according to Jon Seeber of the Onondaga County Sheriff's Department.

Grenton has faced charges and served time for robbery, assault, harassment, criminal contempt and drug possession, Seeber said.

The latest charge he faced in that county was in 2005 for criminal impersonation, a misdemeanor.

SHAKEN

Turner said that hanging out behind 1 Pine St. in the evening had been a ritual among tenants and friends since he moved in there a few months ago.

“We would just hang out, have a few beers and watch the fire,” he said.

Monday morning, Brunell said he was still shaken by the incident.

"They were both my friends," he said.

Turner described Bombard as a good guy who would help people whenever he could.

He said Bombard was sticking up for his roommate because Brunell had suffered some cracked ribs in a fall down the stairs a few weeks earlier.

“He (Bombard) was cooking steaks out there just earlier in the day,” Turner said.

'WASTE OF LIFE'

Although friends spoke well of Bombard, he had served time in state prison on a 2008 conviction for third-degree criminal sale of marijuana. He was released in 2011.

He also was sentenced in 2008 to 30 days in jail for trying to fondle a teenage girl.

Donna Trombley of Plattsburgh was in tears over the death of Bombard, who was her godson.

Although he had been arrested in the past and sometimes struggled with alcohol problems, she said, he had worked to straighten his life around.

He would shovel snow from driveways for people around the city, she said, and wouldn't accept payment. He checked in on her sometimes and called her "Ma."

"I loved him, and I was proud of him," she said. "He was a good guy.

"Now, this is the waste of a good life."

Email Joe LoTemplio:

jlotemplio@pressrepublican.com

Twitter: @jlotemplio