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Woman who found roommate shot to death at senior living center suing facility
A woman who discovered her longtime friend and roommate shot dead in their unit at a Maryland senior living center is now suing that facility. She's claiming administrators ignored concerns about the suspect's behavior prior to the murder, and even fired a co-worker who filed a complaint about him.
POTOMAC, Md. - A woman who discovered her longtime friend and roommate shot dead in their unit at a Maryland senior living center is now suing that facility.
She's claiming Cogir of Potomac administrators knowingly employed the murder suspect after firing a co-worker for complaining about the suspect’s behavior on the job.
What they're saying:
The lawsuit alleges gross negligence on the part of Cogir Senior Living for the murder that took place there last month. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the murder victim’s roommate.
"We have no idea how this could have happened. We trusted our families to the care of this facility and its employees, and we now have sought some help to find answers," the plaintiff’s daughter, Suzanne Caron, said. "We have suffered an immeasurable loss, and the trauma is ongoing, and we need to know why."
Caron’s mother, Linda Buttrick, 77, and murder victim Robert Fuller, 87, were longtime friends and roommates at Cogir Senior Living. Linda was in the apartment when Fuller was shot in the head on Feb. 14.
Her 15-count complaint alleges, among other things, negligence, tortious conduct, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, seeking more than $1 million in damages.
READ MORE: Partner of man killed by employee at Potomac senior living facility plans to sue
Dig deeper:
The suit alleges a nurse at Cogir was fired 11 days before the murder after complaining about the behavior of the accused killer, Maurquise James. It goes on to say that the whistleblower was fired because James’ mother is a high-ranking Cogir administrator, and also alleges that the 22-year-old medical technician was still administering medication to Buttrick alone in her room between the time of the murder and his arrest weeks later.
"What Suzanne is trying to understand, what Linda is trying to understand, is how this could happen. How a complaint could be filed, the complainer would be fired, and the guy who ultimately, allegedly kills is not. That’s what we’re trying to understand," Attorney Michael Belsky said.
"I’ve had the opportunity to spend time in the facility. I stayed with my mother a year ago when she had surgery, and I stayed with her the week after this happened. I’ve met the residents there. They are wonderful, vulnerable people, and we need to find out why and how this happened," Caron added.
In a statement to FOX 5, a Cogir Senior Living spokesperson says, "We are still working closely with local authorities as they conduct their investigation. Out of respect for those involved, and to preserve the integrity of the investigation, we cannot share any additional details."
What we don't know:
The motive behind the murder still isn't known. James' attorney says his client will plead not guilty, calling the lawsuit — which also names James as a defendant — an attempt to monetize a tragic death.
"She had indicated that she had concerns that (James) was acting erratically, that he appeared to be under the influence, that there were questions about his handling of medication and his interaction with patients, and safety concerns. That is what it was alleged 11 days before the murder took place. She was fired almost immediately after sending that email. He was not," attorney Belsky said about the nurse who was fired from the facility.
Buttrick’s other attorney, Catherine Dickinson, says of her client that, "She was displaced, and she suffers from health problems, which is part of the reason why she was at Cogir to begin with, and the emotional toll that this has taken on her is immense."