WESTON, Fla. – The Villages-News published a photograph of Robert E. Moore Jr., on Nov. 8, 2022, after he scored a hole-in-one on hole six at the Tarpon Boil Executive Golf Course. Months later, detectives reported the photo helped them to identify the golfer accused of causing Dean W. Zook’s death.
In the 2022 photo, Moore Jr., 76, was wearing the same “distinct blue polo shirt with a dark blue collar” that he was wearing when he attacked Zook, 87, at about 6:40 p.m., on June 28, at the Glenview Country Club, according to Sumter County Sheriff’s Office deputies.
Surveillance video, a credit card record, witnesses, and a tipster also helped detectives to identify Moore, who was born in Massachusetts, as the man who hurt Zook, records show. Brad Garrett, a retired FBI special agent, recently talked to ABC News about the case.
“People who would go to this physical length to harm somebody in their 80s and beat them so badly they ultimately die, clearly have anger management issues of some sort,” said Garrett, a well-known private investigator.
Moore, a retiree living at The Villages, confronted a remorseful Zook for causing minor damage to the bumper of a black 2010 Lexus RX350 with a white 2005 Toyota Avalon at the club’s parking lot and punched him, according to Sumter County deputies.
“The victim attempted to put his hands up to defend himself, but was unable to protect himself from the continuing punches,” Detective Scott Pettitt wrote in the case’s arrest report.
Moore initially told Zook, a fellow retiree who also lived at The Villages, that the 2010 Lexus that had been damaged was his, and when he realized that it wasn’t his 2022 Lexus, he fled, according to Pettitt. Moore’s wife was in the car and told deputies she witnessed the attack.
Fire rescue personnel responded and took Zook, who suffered a head injury, to the Villages Hospital, and later used a helicopter to fly him to the Shands Medical Hospital. His condition deteriorated. Zook moved to hospice on July 15 and he died on July 16, according to Pettitt.
After identifying Moore as a suspect, detectives showed up at his home on July 27 at The Villages, and Moore confessed while confronted with the evidence, according to Pettitt.
Prosecutors filed a charge of aggravated manslaughter on an elderly person against Moore on July 28. Records show deputies released Moore on a $30,000 bond, his arraignment is at 9 a.m., Sept. 26, and Sumter County Circuit Judge Mary P. Hatcher is presiding over the case.
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