In the early morning hours of June 5, 2026, the quiet of a Pinellas Park, Florida, business was shattered by the sound of a single gunshot. Responding to a call at approximately 4:44 a.m., deputies from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to an automotive and cycle shop located at 6612 69th Avenue North. Forced to make entry into the building, they discovered a grim scene. Fifty-year-old Craig Allan Beeth was found deceased on the floor, the victim of a fatal gunshot wound to the head. The initial investigation quickly transitioned into a homicide case as detectives began to piece together the events that led to Beeth's tragic and violent end.
The investigation soon focused on 44-year-old Robert Leon Worthington of Clearwater, who had been at the business with Beeth. According to detectives, Worthington was distraught over personal issues, which led to a heated argument with Beeth. The confrontation escalated dramatically when Worthington produced a handgun, pointed it at Beeth, and fired a single, fatal shot. Surveillance footage from inside the shop reportedly captured the tense moments, showing Beeth attempting to retreat and make defensive gestures as Worthington advanced on him with the weapon. After the shooting, Worthington fled the scene on a motorcycle before law enforcement arrived. Another man at the scene, Thomas Eldridge Killgo, who had reportedly invited Worthington to the shop after receiving concerning texts about his mental state, called 911 after Worthington's departure.
Following an intensive investigation, law enforcement located and arrested Robert Leon Worthington on Saturday, June 6, 2026. He was taken to the Pinellas County Jail and has been charged with first-degree murder. Court documents revealed that in the hours leading up to the shooting, Worthington had sent text messages to Killgo stating he was "homicidal and suicidal at this point." The case against Worthington is built upon witness statements, surveillance evidence tracking his motorcycle from the scene, and the footage from within the business that allegedly shows the deadly encounter. As the legal process begins, the investigation into the circumstances surrounding Craig Beeth's death is considered ongoing.
