A North Carolina man has been charged with first degree murder after he beat his roommate to death for asking him for a cigarette.

William Francis Bordsen, aged 40, contacted 911 slightly before 11 a.m. on Sunday to report an altercation with his roommate, 65-year-old Robert Murphy. Bordsen reportedly claimed he had “kicked his a** pretty good,” according to WJZY. When first responders arrived, they found Murphy deceased at the scene.

Affidavit Bordsen by kc wildmoon on Scribd

Investigators were informed by Bordsen that the dispute began around 4 a.m. Murphy, reportedly intoxicated, entered Bordsen’s room asking for cigarettes, which Bordsen refused to provide, leading to a physical conflict. Bordsen stated that he punched Murphy multiple times on the head, then picked up a box fan and continued to strike Murphy in the head with it.

Once Murphy fell to the ground, Bordsen admitted to kicking him several times in the stomach and face, later telling the police that these actions were unnecessary and showing some remorse.

Detectives who checked Bordsen’s phone found videos and images captured approximately six hours earlier, before he called 911. In one of these videos, Murphy appeared alive but injured, positioned as he would be found deceased later. The court documents highlighted that Bordsen addressed Murphy in a “derogatory” manner in the footage.

Bordsen is being held in the Mecklenbug County Jail on a $400,000 bond.