Hole-in-one pic led to arrest of suspect in Florida country club manslaughter: affidavit
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A 74-year-old Florida man has been arrested for manslaughter after deputies identified him from a hole-in-one photo in a local article, according to an affidavit.
Robert Edward Moore, Jr. was charged after punching an 87-year-old man in the face on June 28, which eventually led to his death.
The Sumter County Sheriff's Office says it responded to what was referred to as a "vehicle accident" at Glenview Country Club in central Florida. Before their arrival, the victim's wife told deputies that a white male had attacked her husband after accidentally hitting another car in the parking lot.
The victim told deputies he was pulling into a parking spot when he struck the front bumper of a Black Lexus with the front bumper of his car, causing minor damage, the affidavit explains.
According to the sheriff's office, Moore approached the scene and yelled, "What the h---, you hit my car!" The victim admitted to hitting the car and exchanged insurance information with Moore.
That's when Moore allegedly struck the victim in the jaw with a closed fit. The victim tried to put his hands up to defend himself but reportedly wasn't able to protect himself from the continuous punches.
Authorities allege Moore then realized that the Black Lexus did not belong to him, and he took off.
Deputies said they reviewed surveillance footage from the nearby country club's restaurant. They discovered Moore ordering food and leaving the restaurant around 6:35 p.m. Around 6:42 p.m., he re-entered the restaurant, bumped into a server, spilled the drinks they were carrying, and left.
The call from the victim's wife came in around 6:41 p.m.
Deputies interviewed the victim, who reportedly began slurring his words and stumbling, causing the authorities to hold him upright. After attempting to escort him to his car, deputies called for EMS and had him transported to a nearby hospital.
Physicians in the emergency room discovered the victim was bleeding from the brain. He was then transported via helicopter to Shands Medical Hospital in Gainesville. According to the affidavit, the man was placed in hospice on July 15 and passed on July 16 due to the trauma he sustained.
On June 29, deputies obtained footage from the country club where they identified the suspect's credit card information. A Google search of the cardholder's name led officials to a November 2022 article about Moore's hole-in-one on Hole #6 at the nearby Tarpon Boil Executive Golf Course.
Upon review, deputies discovered Moore was wearing the same outfit he wore the day of the crime. They also confirmed his address, near the Glenview Country Club.
On July 26, deputies say they approached Moore at his home and confirmed he was the man in the country club's surveillance footage.
He told authorities he thought the victim was going to leave the scene of the crash and tried to keep the victim from leaving. Moore allegedly claimed the victim placed his hands on his shirt and arm, and when he demanded the victim to remove his arms, the victim didn't, and Moore struck him.
Authorities explained in the affidavit that Moore said he went to the front porch of the restaurant to wait for police after the victim's wife stated she was calling the cops. He never claimed he went back inside.
Sumter County deputies placed Moore under arrest for aggravated manslaughter of an elderly person.
According to jail records as of July 27, Moore was released on bond. Online court records show Moore is scheduled for an arraignment in September.