Fresno Man Accused of Fatally Shooting Landlord Amid Rent Dispute
Above: Ira Lewis booking photo | Photos courtesy of Fresno PD
A Fresno man has been arrested as the primary suspect in the fatal shooting of his landlord, which police say arose from a dispute over unpaid rent.
File photo of Michael Brady
According to a press release by the Fresno Police Department, officers from the Northeast Policing District responded on the night of Saturday, May 13, to a report of a gunshot victim on the 4500 block of East Dakota Avenue. The victim, identified as 56-year-old Michael Brady, was found lying on the ground in front of the location with multiple gunshot wounds. Despite receiving immediate medical attention, Brady succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased shortly after being transported to Community Regional Medical Center.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers noticed an individual — later identified as 79-year-old Ira Lewis — walking away from the shooting scene and entering his residence located directly behind Brady’s residence. To facilitate further investigation, officers detained Lewis until homicide detectives could arrive.
Authorities discovered that Lewis was the landlord of the property where the incident occurred, and he had been in an ongoing dispute with Brady over unpaid rent. Witnesses reported that an argument between Brady and Lewis unfolded in the front yard shortly before the shooting. The argument escalated to the point that Lewis allegedly shot Brady multiple times in the upper body during the confrontation.
A subsequent search of Lewis’s residence led officers and detectives to recover a firearm believed to be linked to the shooting. Lewis was then taken into custody and booked into the Fresno County jail on suspicion of murder.
The investigation is still ongoing as law enforcement officials work to gather additional evidence and interview relevant witnesses. The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office will review the case to determine the appropriate legal charges against Lewis.
It was unclear at press time whether Lewis had retained an attorney.
