A dispute over a pool pump in Florida escalated to a fatal shooting, resulting in a man facing murder charges. The incident occurred on a Saturday afternoon when 28-year-old Joshua Miller approached his friend’s car parked in a St. Cloud residence’s driveway. According to Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez, Miller kicked and opened the car door, initiating a heated argument with the occupant, 29-year-old Joseph Beck.
Miller allegedly demanded the return of his pool pump from Beck, escalating the confrontation by striking Beck with a firearm. During the assault, the gun discharged, hitting Beck in the torso. Miller fled the scene, leaving Beck critically injured. Emergency medical services arrived and transported Beck to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Following the incident, Miller sought refuge in a nearby wooded area. Early Sunday morning, deputies apprehended him at a nearby residence. He now faces charges of felony murder and burglary of conveyance. Whether Miller intended for the firearm to discharge remains uncertain.
Sheriff Lopez refrained from speculating on Miller’s intentions, emphasizing the dangers of mishandling firearms. He stated, “This isn’t a mobster movie or Grand Theft Auto or a video game. This is real life and if you don’t know how to properly handle a firearm, you shouldn’t be holding one, especially beating someone with it.”
The incident was captured on home surveillance video, and Miller’s mother identified her son as the suspect in the arrest affidavit. Beck’s ex-wife, Brittany Harrell, expressed her disbelief at the tragic event, stating that Beck and Miller had been looking at photos of their children together just days before the incident.
Beck, a father of three children aged 9, 5, and 6, is remembered through a GoFundMe campaign. Miller, who has an extensive criminal history, is currently held without bond at the Osceola County Jail.