ROSEVILLE, MICH. — A 54-year-old man from Roseville, Michigan has pleaded no contest to manslaughter in connection with the fatal beating of his 72-year-old roommate more than a year ago, the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office announced.
Mark Joseph Newsome entered the plea on Tuesday as part of a sentencing agreement that carries a term of five to fifteen years in prison. Newsome had previously been charged with second-degree murder.
The incident occurred on January 31, 2024, at a group home where Newsome and the victim, Dale Francis Mitchell, were both living. Prosecutors say the two men got into a violent altercation witnessed by a third individual, who promptly contacted police.
Officers responding to the call found Mitchell unconscious and bleeding on the floor. Despite efforts by the Roseville Fire Department to revive him, Mitchell was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Following an investigation, Newsome was arrested and charged. His plea to the lesser charge of manslaughter resolves the case without a trial, though he faces substantial prison time.
Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido commented on the case:
“Mr. Mitchell’s life was cut short in the very dwelling that should have been his safe place. The Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office stands as the voice of the victim to achieve justice for this horrible act by Mr. Newsome. Conflicts between individuals should never be settled by violence.”
Sentencing is scheduled for June 24, 2025.
