Brooklyn fugitive charged in February murder of 75-year-old West End man

BOSTON, March 14, 2023 —A prosecutor today said a fugitive from Brooklyn entered the West End apartment of a 75-year-old man last month, slashed the man’s throat, ate his food, slept on his couch and then left in the morning, leaving the body to be discovered during a well-being check later that day.

DION PELZER, 30, was charged in the Central Division of Boston Municipal Court with murder and a fugitive from justice charge out of New York.  Judge Tracy-Lee Lyons ordered Pelzer held without bail.  Pelzer will return to court April 12 for a pre-trial hearing. 

Pelzer has a warrant out of Brooklyn for a January 23 knife assault which left the victim with numerous slash wounds.

Assistant District Attorney Ursula Knight, chief of the Suffolk County District Attorney Civil Rights/High-Risk Victim’s Unit, said video surveillance shows Pelzer enter the secured apartment building at 65 Martha Road behind a resident at about 9:30 p.m. on February 15. Pelzer took an elevator to the 11th floor, where video shows him attempting to enter numerous apartments.  He then took the elevator down to the 10th floor before returning to the 11th floor to continue testing doors.

The victim, David MacDonald, often left his door unlocked so neighbors and Good Samaritan services such as Meals on Wheels America could bring food without him having to get up and open the door, Knight said. 

Knight said Pelzer entered MacDonald’s apartment and slashed his throat.  Pelzer then ate MacDonald’s food and slept on his couch.

At about 8:40 the next morning neighbors knocked on MacDonald’s door, which was closed and locked, and received no response.  Surveillance video shows Pelzer leaving the building at about 9:13 that morning. Pelzer stole MacDonald’s wallet, credit cards and keys, Knight said.

After investigating surveillance footage and other evidence, authorities issued a warrant for Pelzer’s arrest on Friday, March 10.  On Monday, March 13, Boston police responded to a disturbance at Tufts Medical Center and detained a man, later identified as Pelzer.

“Everything about this case is terrifying, from this man surreptitiously entering a secured residential building, to his testing the doors on numerous units, and, ultimately, to his brutal killing of Mr. MacDonald and his remaining in the apartment with the body until the next morning. This is a tragic reminder of how important it is to be alert to a non-resident attempting to slip into a locked building behind you,” Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden said.

All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 20,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.

James Borghesani, Chief of Communications