Beloved Clerk Beaten During Temecula Guitar Store Robbery Dies

TEMECULA (CBSLA.com) — Authorities say a man who was severely beaten during an apparent robbery at a Temecula guitar shop on Friday has died.

The Riverside County Sheriff's Department said in a statement that officers from the Temecula Police Department were dispatched to Pete's Music store in the 28700 block of Town Front Street at 7:28 p.m. Friday.

Upon arriving on scene, authorities say they found Edward Lawrence Robinson, 64, from Fallbrook with unspecified traumatic injuries. Robinson had been bound and was unconscious.

He was transported to Inland Valley Hospital where he died Saturday, the statement said.

A suspect description was not immediately available.

"I just can't believe it. I don't know why this happens," said John Trifunov, a longtime friend.

He added, "Larry was one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet and the funniest."

Trifunov had trouble holding back his grief. "I was just talking to him on Thursday and I didn't think it would be the last time I saw him."

Store owner Pete Surowski is also heart broken. "Utter shock, dismay, disbelief, grief, sick feeling in the pit of my stomach."

Surkowski said he called several times Friday night and got no answer. He knew that was unusual. "So I tried to call several more times and shortly after that I called police."

His friends said Robinson was a husband, a father of three and grandfather. Robinson was a popular local performer. He worked at the shop for the past eight years and was about to retire.

Anyone with more information about the case is asked to call Investigators Baeza at (951) 955-2777 or Williams at (951) 696-3000.

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