Earl Beck, a 49-year-old man, was at a friend’s home in Mifflin Township, Ohio, during the early morning hours of July 3, 2022. The friend, Robert Burnett, had invited Beck to his house on Woodland Avenue, located northeast of Columbus.
According to police reports, an argument began between the two men. As the argument grew more heated, Burnett asked Beck to leave the home several times. At approximately 2:30 a.m., the confrontation ended when Burnett shot Beck eight times.
Authorities would later discover that Burnett had recorded the fatal shooting on his phone.
After the shooting, Burnett threw the gun over his fence, drove Beck's vehicle away from the property, and fled to a family member's home. About 17 hours later, Burnett returned to the scene of the crime and called the police. Deputies from the Franklin County Sheriff's Office responded to the residence, where they found Earl Beck’s body inside. Burnett was arrested and subsequently charged with murder.
During the investigation and subsequent court proceedings, Burnett claimed he had acted in self-defense. The case proceeded to trial, where a jury was presented with the evidence. On November 7, 2025, the jury rejected Burnett's self-defense claim and found him guilty of two counts of murder, each carrying a three-year firearm specification, and two counts of tampering with evidence.
Following the verdict, Robert Burnett was sentenced to life in prison. He will be eligible for parole after serving 22 years. The case was officially closed as of the conviction and sentencing in November 2025.
