A man from Maryland is in custody after allegedly shooting his roommate to death during a dispute over a remote control, according to local law enforcement. Richard Bennaugh, a 38-year-old resident of Springdale, has been charged with manslaughter in relation to the death of his 27-year-old roommate, Domonique Scott Hayes.
The incident occurred last week, with Prince George’s County Police responding to the scene around 12:30 p.m. on Thursday. Upon arrival, officers found the victim inside the residence, suffering from gunshot wounds. He was declared dead at the scene.
Initial investigations by the authorities suggest that Bennaugh shot Hayes during their argument. The details of the dispute were revealed in documents obtained by local media. Bennaugh reportedly contacted the police about six hours after the shooting, which is believed to have taken place between 5:30 a.m. and 6 a.m.
Bennaugh told the police that he had been sleeping on the couch when he was awakened by Hayes making noise in the kitchen. Hayes then repeatedly asked Bennaugh about the location of the remote control, but Bennaugh ignored him. According to Bennaugh, he removed a blanket from his head and saw Hayes holding two knives.
Bennaugh then retrieved his handgun and began shooting, before retreating to his room on the third floor of the residence. He claimed that he did not see any signs of injury on Hayes, leading him to believe that none of the bullets had hit him. Bennaugh then went back to sleep.
Prince George’s County Police are urging anyone with information about the incident to contact their homicide unit at 301-516-2512.