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Kent man accused of killing roommate 13 days after prison release

A 59-year-old man was charged with second-degree murder after he allegedly beat his roommate to death during an argument.

KENT, Wash. — A Kent man who is an experienced boxer was charged with second-degree murder Tuesday after allegedly beating his roommate to death at a “clean and sober” house 13 days after he was last released from prison.

Phillip Frazier, 59, was arrested May 13 after Kent police responded to a transitional home on the 27000 block of 123rd Avenue SE for a report of a fight between two men.

When officers arrived, they found the victim, identified as 60-year-old Danny Jones, unresponsive on the floor of his bedroom. First responders took over lifesaving efforts but were unsuccessful. Jones was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to court documents, Frazier and Jones shared a bedroom at the transitional home. The confrontation between the men began after Jones became upset after Frazier had again awoken him with noise from a Reese's Pieces candy wrapper, according to court documents.

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After being awakened, court documents say Jones began to walk toward Frazier to confront him.

“As his roommate voiced his frustration and anger, [Frazier] reacted by slamming his roommate back onto his bed and hitting him with his fist multiple times to the side of his head,” Senior Deputy Prosecutor Jason Brookhyser wrote in charging papers.

According to charging documents, Frazier told investigators he punched Jones about three times while pinning him to the bed. Frazier said he “heard a breaking sound or crushing sound” after continuing to punch Jones, documents say.

Jones was half Frazier’s size and died early Friday from blunt force trauma to his head and neck, according to charging papers.

Frazier was arrested and booked into the King County Jail. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office requested bail be set at $4 million as Frazier “is a threat to the safety of the community and a significant flight risk.”

Frazier is scheduled to be arraigned May 26. 

According to court documents, Frazier “repeatedly” told detectives he “knew something like this was going to happen” after being released from prison, and that “he knew he was going back [to prison] for the rest of his life.”

Frazier has previous convictions for attempted domestic violence arson in 2006 and aggravated assault in Tennessee in 2010, according to prosecutors. Frazier also plead guilty to third-degree assault for an incident that prosecutors say took place "immediately" after he was released on the attempted arson charge.

"To see this level of violence for such an unnecessary reason is why we went to court to ask for this $4 million bail," said Casey McNerthney, a spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

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