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GREENSBORO — A fight between two roommates left one man dead and the other in the Guilford County jail late Wednesday night.

Alan Dale Atkinson, 48, was found dead from stab wounds just before 11 p.m. Wednesday on the front lawn of his apartment complex at 2813 Liberty Oaks Drive, according to the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies arrived to find his roommate — 43-year-old Michael Wade Nidiffer — attempting to provide Atkinson with first aid.

Atkinson was pronounced dead at the scene, and Nidiffer was charged with voluntary manslaughter .

Col. Randy Powers said the men had been arguing, and the fight had escalated as both men grabbed weapons.

Atkinson, armed with a baseball bat, is believed to have hit Nidiffer in the head and hand.

At some point, Nidiffer allegedly grabbed a hunting knife and stabbed Atkinson. Both weapons were recovered.

Detective G.R. Moore said detectives have been unable to get anyone to say what the men were arguing about.

It was unclear whether alcohol was involved.

Moore said a woman at the apartment witnessed the fight.

A magistrate determined the circumstances of the case did not merit a murder charge, which requires premeditation.

Nidiffer remained in the Guilford County jail in Greensboro on a $500,000 bond on Thursday afternoon.

It was the second homicide case for the sheriff’s office in as many days, following the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Christian Rook on Tuesday.

A sheriff’s deputy shot the teen while responding to a domestic disturbance at 4810 Moutline Drive.

The teen, who had been threatening to stab family members, reportedly came at the deputy while armed with a kitchen knife.

That case is being investigated by the SBI, which is standard in officer-involved shootings.

The sheriff’s office had only one homicide case in 2009.

Contact Ryan Seals at 373-7077 or ryan.seals@news-record.com