Suspect charged in murder of a co-worker.

Written by Kristen Schmutz

Belden Communications News 

The Daytona Beach Police Department has filed second-degree murder charges on Steve Tilbury, 26, of Leesburg after he assaulted a co-worker at Ritchey Autos off North Nova Road in Daytona Beach with a metal bat.

According to a release, Tilbury’s charges were updated Tuesday by the police department hours after the victim, Charles G. Cummings, 50, of Deltona, lost his life at Halifax Health Medical Center. Cummings was taken to the hospital as a trauma alert by paramedics. He has been receiving treatment at the hospital since the attack on November 23, until his death on November 30. 

Officers responded to the dealership after Volusia County emergency dispatchers received a call for assistance just before 9 a.m. on November 23, finding the suspect and victim at the scene. Tilbury was taken into custody at that time on two felony counts of aggravated battery.

Witnesses told police that Tilbury pulled up to a maintenance bay in his silver Chevy truck, grabbed a metal bat from the back of his vehicle, and hit Cummings on the head with the bat while he was sitting at a desk. Co-workers then subdued Tilbury and stripped him of the metal bat before first responders arrived on the scene.

Detectives believe the suspect and victim had gotten into an argument at work the day before the attack.

Tilbury is currently in custody at the Volusia County Jail, where he has been since his initial arrest on the aggravated battery charge.