'He tried to kill me:' 94-year-old woman left bruised, bloody in fight over will

65-year-old man accused of jumping on victim's chest

LONGWOOD, Fla. – It took a 94-year-old woman two hours to crawl to the phone to call 911 after a man beat her, jumped on her chest and then set a fire at her Longwood home on Thursday, according to the Seminole County Sheriff's Office.

The victim said she was watching TV at the Slade Drive home she shares with Roman Dusk, 65, when he approached her, drunk and in a rage.

Dusk said he was upset that the victim wasn't going to give him her home in her will, the report said. The relationship between Dusk and the victim is unclear, but she said she has known him since he was 9 years old and allowed him to live at her Longwood home because he had nowhere else to go, the affidavit said.

“You are 94 years old and people shouldn’t live that long. I’m here to kill you,” Dusk told the victim as he beat her and stomped on her chest, according to deputies.

The victim said she believed that Dusk was going to kill her and she told him, "Roman you have killed me."

Deputies said the violent attack continued with Dusk repeatedly hitting and kicking the victim while telling her she was going to die.

The elderly woman said she was having difficulty breathing and thought she would die. Dusk then went to the stove and lit a piece of paper on fire.

“I’m going to burn the house down with you in it,” Dusk told the victim before lighting a plant on fire, according to the report.

Dusk put out the fire, which had spread to the wall, when the victim told him that he was in the will and she had the documents to prove it, deputies said.

He used spray paint to cover the char marks on the wall, cleaned the carpet, closed the windows then left the home without getting help, despite the victim's pleas, according to the report.

It took the victim two hours to crawl to the phone to call 911, the report said.

“I got beat up, he tried to kill me,” the victim reportedly told deputies when they arrived. “He said I was going to die.”

"When our deputies arrived and got there, she had bruising to her arms, her chin, dried blood on her mouth so it really is amazing that she's still with us," said Bob Kealing from the Seminole County Sheriff's office. 

Deputies said the victim had blood on her face, bruises on her arm and had suffered several broken ribs and a possible head injury. She was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center for treatment.

Dusk was arrested when he returned to the home as authorities were investigating the crime scene.

“I am extremely shocked and saddened by this brutal act of violence committed against one of our innocent and vulnerable seniors,” Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma said. “We are committed to doing everything possible to ensure justice is served.”

Dusk is charged with attempted first-degree murder, arson, aggravated battery on a person 65 years or older, false imprisonment, destroying evidence and obstructing justice. 

Neighbors said the incident is frightening and they hope Dusk does not inherit the home.

"I was extremely upset," said Candy Palmer, who used to drive the victim to the supermarket. "I was crying. It's just disgusting. It's this whole world we live in and I'm sorry to sound negative --  It's going to heck. You don't (treat) an old lady, or a child, a dog, or a cat that way -- You just don't do it."