PORTLAND, Maine — A 63-year-old man living at a downtown Portland apartment building died at the hospital on Sunday, more than a month after his neighbor allegedly beaten him according to police.
Police in Portland say Rodney Cleveland, 63, was beaten by his neighbor at 81 Danforth Street on the evening of August 3 and taken to Maine Medical Center.
Everett H. Meserve, 62, of Portland was arrested on Aug. 3 and was charged with elevated aggravated assault of his neighbor but on Sept. 15 Meserve was charged with the murder of Cleveland.
Police say an autopsy of Cleveland completed on Monday, Sept. 16, showed that he died from blunt force trauma and the manner of death was ruled a homicide.
Detectives are still investigating the circumstances surrounding this assault.