Close up image of a caretaker helping older woman walk

An 87-year old man with advanced Alzheimer’s was being held this week under suspicion of beating a fellow Alzheimer’s resident and roommate to death in a Lakewood, CO, assisted living facility. .

Police arrested Homer Castor and are holding him without bond. Police told Denver Post reporters that the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office has yet to formally charge Castor, who will undergo evaluation at a Pueblo, CO, state mental health hospital.

Police said they were dispatched to Atria Applewood on Saturday morning after a reported altercation between Castor and his 76-year-old roommate, Gerald Propp.

Investigators said they found the men’s bedroom covered in blood and Castor’s right hand and clothing reddened. Police said Castor admitted to beating Propp, who died Monday after being admitted to the hospital with blunt force trauma. 

Atria Senior Living, the facility’s parent company, operates or owns 145 facilities in 27 states. The Lakewood facility houses 112 residents. 

“Ensuring the safety and well-being of our residents is our highest priority,” said Atria Applewood officials in a prepared statement. “We are cooperating fully with the police and the Department of Public Health and Environment as they continue to review the circumstances of the incident. We are committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure that our residents continue to feel safe and protected in our community.”