Man shot and killed trying to protect his wife during attempted robbery

PLANT CITY (FOX 13) - The last thing, 67-year-old Michael Beson did was put himself between his wife and a man with a gun.

"When this other guy approached him Mike would be the type to say, 'wait a minute let's talk this out,'" said former neighbor and close friend Carol Caiazza. 

It was just before 8:30 p.m. Friday and Beson was pumping gas at a Mobile station when Plant City Police say two men tried robbing his wife.  When he intervened, he wound up shot.

The father, grandfather and former service member was a snowbird visiting from Michigan. He died at the scene.

"This guy would not hurt a fly. He was my best friend down here," said Rudy Caiazza.

"He was right there, whether its working on your car, or anything. He was just a great neighbor, a great friend," said Carol Caiazza.

Sunday, police arrested 19-year-old Xavier Smith, charging him with Beson's murder.   We've learned just minutes before that shooting, Smith and another person attempted another robbery across the street at a BP station.  Money appears to be their sole mission.

"We don't believe the victim was targeted. We believe it was a somewhat random act," said Sgt. Al Van Duyne.

"From a law enforcement perspective we tell folks all the time tangible property is not worth losing your life over, but each person has to make their own judgment," he added.

Police are still looking for that second suspect.   Anyone who can help them, is asked to contact the Plant City Police right away.