Malden Police Looking For Man Charged With Murdering 79-Year-Old

MALDEN, MA – Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Malden Chief of Police Glenn Cronin have issued a warrant for murder for Dion Smith, 33, of Boston for the stabbing death of Ronald Gilbert, 79, of Malden.

The murder charge comes after an investigation by Malden Police, Massachusetts State Police detectives, and the Middlesex District Attorney’s office, along with assistance from the Massachusetts State Police Crime lab, according to a news release.

On February 22, police were called to Kennedy Drive in response to a complaint of odor coming from Gilbert’s apartment. Inside, police found Gilbert dead with obvious signs of decomposition. The case was referred to the chief medical examiner, who observed what appeared to be 30 stab wounds to Gilbert's body.

Investigators believe Gilbert was killed in late December of 2022, and have revealed that Smith was not a resident of Gilbert’s building, nor did the two appear to know each other.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has accepted the case, and said a ruling on the cause and manner of death is pending.

Smith had previously been issued a warrant for the charge of larceny in connection with the theft of Gilbert’s car related to the same incident.

Police continue to actively look for Smith, who is described as a balding, black male with brown eyes and is 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighs 165 pounds.

Police urge anyone with any information about his whereabouts not to approach him and immediately contact Malden Police at 781-322-1212 or Massachusetts State Police Detectives assigned to the District Attorney’s Office at 781-897-6600.