A man who walked up behind a co-worker at Ritchey Cadillac in Daytona Beach and struck him in the head with a metal bat was indicted Monday on a charge of first-degree murder.
A Volusia County grand jury indicted Steve Tilbury, 29, of Leesburg, in the Nov. 23, 2021, attack on his co-worker at Ritchey Cadillac, 932 N. Nova Road in Daytona Beach.
According to a charging affidavit, a co-worker saw Tilbury drive up to the maintenance bay and grab a metal bat from the rear of his truck. Tilbury then walked into the bay yelling that he had a knife.
Charles Cummings was sitting at a desk doing paperwork. Without any threats or provocation, Tilbury walked up behind Cummings and struck him in the head with the bat, the affidavit stated.
Cummings fell to the floor and workers tackled Tilbury and stripped him of the bat, the affidavit stated.
A video confirmed the witness’ account, the affidavit stated.
Cummings died Nov. 30, 2021, at Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach, the affidavit stated.
When detectives spoke to Tilbury, he told them about an incident that had happened the night before on Nov. 22, 2021, in the far rear parking lot of the dealership, the affidavit stated.
Tilbury told detectives that he approached Cummings, who was working on his vehicle which appeared to have a dead battery, according to the affidavit. Tilbury said he was going to offer to help, but Cummings had jumped out of his truck and “allegedly tried to stab him,” the affidavit stated.
Tilbury said he told Cummings to back off and then got in his truck and drove away, the affidavit stated.
Tilbury was originally charged with second-degree murder but prosecutors decided to seek an indictment for the more serious charge as the case headed toward trial next month, according to Haley Harrison, a spokeswoman for the State Attorney’s Office.
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Source: news-journalonline
