Five years ago, a man was tied up and beaten at a Riverside County guitar shop. Now, the victim’s widow is coming forward, along with homicide detectives, pleading for help solving this murder case.
The victim was found in a Temecula music store. His wife told NBC4 that the pain in her heart has only gotten worse over the years because the case is still unsolved.
Family members say Larry Robinson loved to sing and play guitar and no one loved listening to him more than his wife of 25 years.
“He was everything. He was my best friend, my husband, he was the father to my daughter, a father to his children,” the victim’s wife Pat Robinson said.
The 64-year-old worked at Pete’s Music and guitar shop in Temecula.
“He loved talking about music and instruments and being in a room full of guitars is a really cool thing when you love guitars,” she said.
In March 2013, a customer found Larry unconscious at the music shop. He was bound, beaten and barely clinging to life. Several guitars and equipment had been stolen. Larry did not survive.
“As a business owner to lose an employee like that is my worst nightmare. Worst case scenario ever,” said Pete Surowski, the owner of Pete’s Music.
Ever since the murder, sheriff’s investigators have been desperately trying to identify the killer or killers. They’ve developed composite sketches of two possible suspects, but even a $25,000 reward hasn’t generated any solid leads.
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“Somebody knows something or heard something … no matter how insignificant it may be … it may be the very information we need to solve this heinous crime,” Lt. Mike Hatfield of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said at a news conference Tuesday.
Pat has held onto a blue heart-shaped balloon that says “Justice for Larry” and “Forever in Our Hearts” since the first anniversary of her husband’s death. She plans to release it if his case ever gets solved.
“They did a horrible thing and they took one of the kindest, most wonderful people off the planet,” Pat said while fighting back tears.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department at (951) 955-2777.
