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Violent Fight Between Landlord & Tenant Leaves Both Men Dead

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WEST MIAMI-DADE (CBSMiami) -- Two men are dead following a violent altercation between a landlord and his tenant.

It happened at an apartment building where that landlord had been renting rooms to people struggling with problems. A close friend of the victim told CBS4's Peter D'Oench he had been running a home for wayward people. Ironically, she says, a man who he was trying to help and who had only moved in about four days ago killed the landlord.

When Miami-Dade police arrived at the duplex on 6121 SW 24th Street, around 2:00am Monday, they found a bloody crime scene.

Doreen Mehlin says her close friend Carlos Pinto, 66, was in a fight with a new tenant named Richard.

"Richard had been staying for a few days with him. They were arguing very loudly. Richard said quote 'You robbed me,' over and over. Carlos said quote 'I did not. I never did that'. Then I heard banging. I thought they were having a fistfight, said Mehlin.

She her friend of 30-years cry out.

"Carlos said, 'I have been stabbed three times'," recalled Mehlin.

After police responded, Richard yelled out.

"This guy hollers out, 'I am going to commit suicide,' clearly three times. Police kept saying to Carlos three times to open the door. He said, 'I can't find the key'."

Police could not get in through the front door and went in back.

"I was hollering to police come around back," said Mehlin but Richard took his own life.

"I can't understand why someone would take his own life. There is always tomorrow," said Mehlin.

So why was Pinto stabbed in the first place?

Mehlin said the two had been arguing for three days. "They were intoxicated. They were drinking a lot yesterday at a party."

Sadly, she says, Pinto had been trying to help Richard, who just moved in late last week.

"He run a home for wayward people here," said Mehlin.

"You would never expect someone to do that to people helping them," said another friend of the victim Sarah Garcia.

Neighbors say there have been numerous calls to police about the home.

"It's sad but I expected that to happen," said neighbor Vania Mesa. "Cops are always at that home."

Records show Pinto had been in trouble before. He'd been arrested on drug charges. Pinto died after being transported to Kendall Regional Medical Center.

Miami-Dade Police are urging any witnesses to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.

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