UPDATE: Man formally charged in suspicious death investigation

UPDATE: Late Friday night, police announced that Kennedy Kafatia was charged with neglect of a dependent, a level 1 felony.

ORIGINAL STORY

A 48-year-old man died earlier this week under suspicious circumstances, and investigators are still trying to figure out if anyone was to blame.

Roy Martinez was a resident of a group home for people with mental challenges. When police arrived at Melcalf House on Riverside Court in South Bend around 12:30 a.m. on Thursday they found Martinez bleeding and administered CPR. After Martinez died, police arrested the man hired to care for the residents of the home—32 year old Kennedy Kafatia.

“That's a big shock to this community. I believe I know if other communities hear about it on the news they're going to be startled too,” said Anna Arvia who lives nearby. “I knew Roy over there next door and he was a guy who would come out and smoke with us in the mornings and you know we just talked and gabbed and everything. He was a good guy, really was.”

Although some 40 hours had passed since the call came in, police were still guarding a home that remained sealed off with tape.

“Metcalf is a group home for homeless people,” said Arvia, “they help them get back on their feet. I lived at Turnock group home for two years before I got into this apartment complex, so they really do help the homeless.”

Kafatia was arrested on a charge of battery to an endangered person causing death.