Background: Law enforcement investigates a shooting on the 6600 block of 69th Avenue North in Pinellas Park, Fla. (WTSP/YouTube). Inset: Robert Worthington (Pinellas County Sheriff's Office).
A man in Florida is accused of fatally shooting a man at an auto shop after a the suspect's friend convinced him to come to the location so he could calm him down.
Robert Worthington, 44, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 50-year-old Craig Beeth, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office announced. The shooting occurred on Friday.
According to an affidavit obtained by Law&Crime, Worthington was going through a mental health crisis and speaking with his friend about it. During the early morning hours of Friday, the defendant sent several texts, such as, "I'm going crazy" and "I just got back here to get my gun."
After the friend asked about Worthington's location, the defendant responded, "Idk what to do," adding that he was "hom[i]cidal and suicidal at this point. So it's not really good to be around people. I've never been like this before," the court document added. "No job and no insurance so I can't go see a doctor. … Life is f—. I don't even know who I am right now."
When the friend tried to get Worthington to show up somewhere, the defendant reportedly replied, "Nah man. No good. I can't be in public … But I gotta leave here for a while man. The walls are closing in on me."
Within 20 minutes, the friend called Worthington and texted him to come to "the shop" — an auto shop located on the 6600 block of 69th Avenue North in Pinellas Park, Florida. The friend wanted to "calm him down."
According to authorities, hours later, the friend was "in the office area of the shop sleeping when he heard a gunshot." He woke up and went to investigate and found Beeth "lying on the shop floor."
Officers were called in and arrived to find Beeth next to "a single .45 caliber spent casing on the ground." He had a "large pool of blood around his head." There was also a "square mirrored tray with two cut straws, a white powder, and a razor blade" inside the building.
Investigators searched surveillance footage that apparently showed the moments of violence. The video allegedly showed Worthington and Beeth exiting the office of the building, with the defendant holding a gun and pointing it at the victim.
Beeth "attempts to retreat and make defensive gestures, attempting to disengage," but the "physical altercation" continued into the repair part of the shop. At some point, Worthington allegedly "extends his right arm, with the firearm still in his hand, toward Beeth's head. Smoke can be seen being discharged from the muzzle of the firearm, while simultaneously, Beeth falls to the ground."
It is unclear what happened between Worthington and Beeth between when the defendant said he was going to the shop and when the shooting occurred. Beeth was pronounced dead by authorities.
By the time officers arrived, Worthington had left the area. He was arrested the following day.
Worthington appeared in court this week. It is not yet clear when he is set to return.