PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A Port Richey man has been charged with second-degree murder after a man he's accused of beating in June died recently, Pinellas County deputies said.
According to an affidavit, on June 25, deputies were called to the Quality Inn on U.S. 19 in Tarpon Springs after receiving a report someone taking property from a hotel room.
When they arrived, they found the victim in the bathtub, beaten, bloodied and unresponsive. When he came around, the victim said a man named "Rick" had beaten him.
The victim was taken to a hospital for treatment of his injuries, which included bleeding of the brain.
Investigators found the victim had been at the hotel with two people, Richard Anthony Guardino, 30, and a woman. She told deputies the victim kicked Guardino out of the room, but he came back as she was leaving.
Another witness said he overheard Guardino say he "hit the old man," the affidavit said.
When he was interviewed by deputies, Guardino admitted to taking property from the room but denied hitting the victim, according to the affidavit.
The victim died Nov. 14. The autopsy showed he died from his injuries from June.
Guardino was charged with second-degree murder on Thursday. He was already in custody on burglary and battery charges from the June incident.
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