Key Largo man gets prison for trying to ‘execute’ roommate with crossbow over vodka in trash

KEY LARGO, Fla. — A Key Largo man was given a more than six-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to trying to kill his roommate with a crossbow.

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Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies said George Henry Balboni, 61, hatched a plan to kill his roommate, whom he described as a “parasite,” after the 69-year-old “went through his trash” and “found vodka” two days prior to the Sept. 16 murder attempt in the 700 block of Largo Road.

Prosecutors said Wednesday that he pleaded no contest to attempted first-degree murder.

Investigators said Balboni “formulated a plan in advance and used a false medical complaint to lure the victim into a vehicle before carrying out the attack.”

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“Once the victim was seated in the vehicle, Balboni fired a crossbow bolt at close range, striking the victim near the ear,” prosecutors said in a news release. “The victim sustained a head injury but survived the attack.”

The victim was able to disarm Balboni.

In the release, Monroe County Chief Assistant State Attorney Joseph Mansfield called the attack a “calculated and premeditated attempt to execute another person using a crossbow, carried out through deception and aimed directly at the victim’s head.”

“The only reason we are not discussing a homicide is because the defendant failed in his attempt and the victim fought back,” Mansfield said.

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Balboni received a 78-month sentence with credit for 213 days served.