PINELLAS PARK, Fla. – A Pinellas Park auto shop became the scene of a fatal shooting Friday after a man trying to help a friend in crisis unknowingly set a deadly sequence of events in motion. Robert Worthington, 44, now faces a first-degree murder charge in the death of 50-year-old Craig Beeth, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident began early Friday morning when Worthington began exchanging frantic text messages with a friend. Court affidavits reveal Worthington was experiencing a severe mental health crisis, texting statements like, “I’m going crazy” and “I just got back here to get my gun.”
As the friend questioned his whereabouts and tried to offer help, Worthington expressed deep distress and a lack of options.
“Idk what to do,” he messaged, 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.” He further wrote, “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 suggested meeting up, Worthington initially resisted, texting, “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.”
Hoping to de-escalate the situation, the friend called and texted Worthington about 20 minutes later, instructing him to come to his workplace—an auto repair shop on the 6600 block of 69th Avenue North. The friend stated his goal was simply to “calm him down.”
Hours later, while sleeping in the shop’s office area, the friend woke up to the sound of a gunshot. Upon searching the property, he discovered Beeth lying on the shop floor.
Responding deputies found Beeth next to a single spent .45-caliber casing and a large pool of blood near his head. Inside the building, investigators also noted a square mirrored tray containing a white powder, a razor blade, and two cut straws.
Surveillance video recovered from the scene captured the altercation. According to authorities, the footage shows Worthington and Beeth walking out of the office, with Worthington pointing a handgun at Beeth. The video shows Beeth attempting to retreat and making defensive gestures to disengage, but the confrontation spilled into the main garage area. The affidavit states Worthington extended his right arm with the firearm toward Beeth’s head, muzzle smoke became visible, and Beeth collapsed to the ground.
Investigators have not yet determined what transpired between Worthington and Beeth in the hours leading up to the gunfire. Beeth was pronounced dead at the scene.
Worthington fled before deputies arrived but was tracked down and arrested the following day. He made his initial court appearance this week, though his next court date has not yet been scheduled.
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