A pre-dawn argument inside a Pinellas Park business turned deadly Friday, leaving a 50-year-old man shot in the head and a Clearwater man now facing a first-degree murder charge, according to deputies.
Investigators say the confrontation ended when a single round was fired, and deputies later forced their way into the building after 911 callers reported gunfire. Inside, they found the victim with a fatal gunshot wound to the head.
Scene and response
Deputies were called to the 6600 block of 69th Avenue North around 4:45 a.m. Friday after reports of shots fired, the Tampa Bay Times reported. What started as a routine gunfire call quickly turned into a full-scale homicide investigation.
Crime scene technicians and detectives stayed on scene through the morning, placing evidence markers across the property and hauling away at least one vehicle as potential evidence. Investigators also fanned out to nearby businesses, looking for surveillance footage and witnesses who might help fill in the gaps about what led up to the deadly argument.
Suspect arrested, charges
According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, as reported by FOX 13, deputies found 50-year-old Craig Beeth dead inside the business from a gunshot wound to the head. Investigators identified 44-year-old Robert Leon Worthington of Clearwater as the suspect, saying he allegedly pointed a handgun at Beeth and fired a single shot during an argument.
Worthington left the scene before deputies arrived, but the sheriff’s office says he was tracked down and arrested on Saturday. He was booked into jail on a charge of first-degree murder.
What’s next
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office says the case remains an active investigation and that more information will be released as it becomes available. For tips and official updates, visit the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.
The case now moves into the court system, where the State Attorney’s Office will handle prosecution once formal charges are filed and an arraignment date is set.
