Competency Evaluation Deferred in Meat Cleaver Murder

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Patrick Cromwell, 60, was granted an extension to receive a mental competency evaluation hearing on April 9. Cromwell was arrested April 21, 2024 after phoning the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) allegedly to confess to murdering his roommate, Joseph Barranco, 77, with a meat cleaver.

Cromwell, whose appearance at the hearing was waived, is charged with first-degree murder and possession of a deadly weapon with the intent to injure in connection to Barranco’s death.

At approximately 7:54 a.m., BPD officers responded to Cromwell’s apartment building, The Chadford, in the 900 block of W. University Parkway for a report of an assault. Upon arrival, they observed Cromwell outside the building with visible cuts on his hands and face that appeared recent. As they entered Cromwell’s first-floor apartment, they located Barranco lying unresponsive on the floor, just inside the front door. At approximately 8:08 a.m., a paramedic pronounced him deceased.

Further examination revealed that Cromwell had multiple lacerations to his head, neck, arms, and legs. During an interview, Cromwell allegedly said Barranco attacked him unarmed and that he responded by picking up a meat cleaver and striking Barranco in the head and neck. He said he then used his hands and feet to strangle Barranco and kill him, and that the lacerations on his hands were caused by the meat cleaver hitting him as attempted to restrain Barranco.

At a previous Oct. 30 hearing, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Gale E. Rasin said Cromwell was taking antipsychotics to treat schizophrenia.

Cromwell is set to reappear before Judge Rasin April 23.